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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



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THI 



MUTE CHRISTIAN 



UNDER 



THE SMARTING ROD 



SOVEREIGN ANTIDOTES FOR EVERY CASE. 



By the Rev. Thomas Brooks, 



Of Lohdok, 16 6 9. 




BOSTON: 

SETH GOLDSMITH, 

CROCKER & BREWSTER, GOULD, KENDALL & 

LINCOLN, AND TAPPAN & DENNETT. 

1841. 






4- 



«*«.■ J, 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1841, 

Br Seth Goldsmith, 
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts. 



INTRODUCTORY NOTE 



TO THE AMERICAN EDITION. 



The original title page of this work, from a 
copy in my possession, is, "The Mute Chris- 
tian under the Smarting Rod : with Soveraign 
Antidotes against the Most Miserable Exigents : 
or, A Christian with an Olive Leaf in his 
mouth, when he is under the greatest afflictions, 
the sharpest and sorest tryals and troubles, the 
saddest and darkest providences and changes ; 
with Answers to divers Questions and Objec- 
tions that are of greatest importance : all tend- 



11 INTRODUCTORY NOTE, 

ing to win and work souls to be still, quiet) 
calm, and silent under all changes that have, 
[passed] or may pass upon them in this world, 
&c. By Thomas Brooks, late Preacher of 
the Word at St. Margaret's New Fish Street, 
London, The Lord is in his holy Temple : 
let all the earth keep silence befort him, Hab. 
ii. 20. London, Printed for John Hancock, 
and to be sold at the first Shop in Popes Head 
Alley, next to Cornhil, 1669. " 

The London w Religious Tract Society,' 5 
in 1826, reprinted this work. A copy of this 
reprint, and of the old edition, having come into 
my hands, I have been led by the pleasure 
and instruction which the book afforded me to 
obtain its republication in this country. I have 
used the Tract Society's edition in this reprint, 
but have compared it with the original work, and 
have restored many of the author's illustrations, 
and some of his idiomatic words. 

The first thing which interested me in read- 
ing the preface of this book, was the simplicity 



INTRODUCTORY NOTE. HI 

and earnestness of the writer. His style is a 
good specimen of plain Saxon English. There 
seemed to be, moreover, a directness and force 
of expression in it, which makes the book ex- 
tremely suitable for general readers. The 
mode of address and of application seems to 
be that which in preaching is usually most ac- 
ceptable, and which properly distinguishes the 
manner of a sermon from that of an essay. 

But these things, though interesting and im- 
portant, are of small value in the book com- 
pared with its rich, christian instruction, drawn 
from a remarkable acquaintance with the word 
of God, and from deep religious experience. 
The writer tells us, in his preface, with evident 
simplicity, "There hath not any author come 
to hand that hath handled this subject as I have 
done ;" and the reader will find that this book 
is, in many excellent things, unlike other trea- 
tises on this subject, and second to none. 

There is a singular copiousness of illustra- 
tion in the book which will interest every reader, 



IV INTRODUCTORY NOTE. 

and although some of the illustrations are quaint 
and fanciful, they are so unaffected and original, 
that no one can read them but with pleasure. 
I would go far to find another book which 
would excite the same interest with which I 
first read this volume, and it is with great pleas- 
ure that I think of the instruction and consola- 
tion which it will afford to many of the sons and 
daughters of sorrow. 

N. ADAMS. 

Boston, Oct. 12, 1841. 



CONTENTS 



The Author's Preface, - - - - - rx 

The words opened, and the doctrine raised — That it is 
the great duty and concernment of gracious souls to be 
mute and silent under the greatest afflictions, the saddest 
providences, and sharpest trials, they meet with in this 
world, 19* 

For the opening of the point : 

I. There is a sevenfold silence, - - - 21 

II. What a prudent, a gracious, a holy silence doth in- 
clude, ------- 27 

III. What a prudent, a holy silence, under affliction* 
doth not exclude, ----- 45 

IV. Eight reasons why christians must be mute and si- 
lent under their greatest afflictions, &c, - 60 

Use. This truth looks sadly upon five sorts of persons, 76 

Considerations to prevent men from using sinful shifts and 
courses to deliver themselves out of their afflictions, 83 

Considerations to prevail with christians to be mute and 
silent under the sharpest afflictions, &c, that they may 
meet with in this world, - - - - 91 



VI CONTENTS. 

The heinous and dangerous nature of murmuring discov- 
ered, ------- 108 

Object. 1. Did I but know that my afflictions were in 
love, I would be quiet, I would hold my peace, &c. 
answered, - - - - - -122 

Object. 2. The Lord hath smitten me in my nearest and 
dearest comforts and contentments, and how can I 
then hold my peace ? answered, - 132 

Object. 3. Oh! but my afflictions, my troubles, have been 
long upon me, and how then can I hold my peace ? 
answered, ------ 149 

Object. 4. I would be mute and silent under my afflic- 
tions, but they daily multiply and increase upon me, 
&c how then can I be silent ? answered, - 161 

Object. 5. My afflictions are very great, how then can I 
hold my peace ? answered, - - - - 166 

Object. 6. Oh ! but my afflictions are greater than other 
men's, &c, how then can I be silent? answered, 171 

Object. 7. I would hold my peace, but my outward 
afflictions are attended with sore temptations, &c, 
how then can I be silent ? answered five ways ; where- 
in eight advantages are discovered that saints gain by 
their temptations, - - - - -176 

Object. 8. Oh! but God hath deserted me, he hath for- 
saken me, and hid his face from me, &c. how then 
can I be silent ? answered; also, advantages the saints 
gain by their being clouded, - - - 188 

Object. 9. Oh ! but I am falsely accused and sadly 
charged and reproached in my good name, &c, how 
then can I be silent ? answered, - 203 



CONTENTS. Vll 

Object. 10. I have sought the Lord, in this my affliction, 
for this and that mercy, and still the Lord delays me, 
and puts me off, &c, how then can I hold my peace ? 
how then can I be silent ? &c. answered, - 217 

Quest. But what are the reasons that God doth so delay 
and put off his people ? answered, - - 222 

Quest. What are the means that may help persons to be 
silent and quiet under their greatest afflictions, their 
sharpest trials, &c, answered from page 227 to the 
end of the book. ----- 



AUTHOR'S PREFACE. 



ALL. AFFLICTED AND DISTRESSED CHRIS- 
TIANS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. 



DEAR BRETHREN, 

The choicest saints are born to troubles, as the sparks 
fly upwards, Psa. xxxiv. 19; Job v. 7; Psa. lxxxviii. 
3, 4. Many are the troubles of the righteous. If they 
were many, and not troubles, then, as it is in the pro- 
verb, the more the happier; or if they were troubles, 
and not many, then the fewer the better. But God, 
who is infinite in wisdom, and matchless in goodness, 
hath ordered troubles, yea, many troubles, to come 
trooping in upon us on every side. As our mercies, 
so our crosses, seldom come single; they usually come 
treading one upon the heels of another; they are often 
like April showers, no sooner is one over, but another 
comes. And yet, Christians, it is mercy, it is rich mercy, 
that every affliction is not an execution, that every cor- 
rection is not a damnation. The higher the waters rose, 
the nearer Noah's ark was lifted up to heaven; the more 
thy afflictions are increased, the more thy heart shall be 
raised heavenwards. 
1 



x author's preface. 

The reasons of my sending this piece into the world 
are these: 

1. The afflicting hand of God hath been heavy upon 
myself, and upon my dearest relations in this world, and 
upon many of my precious Christian friends, whom I 
much love and honor in the Lord; which put me upon 
studying the mind of God in that scripture, which I have 
made the subject matter of the following discourse. 
Luther could not understand some Psalms till he was 
afflicted. The Christ -cross is no letter in the book, and 
yet, saith he, it hath taught me more than all the letters 
in the book. Afflictions are a golden key, by which the 
Lord opens the rich treasures of his word to his people's 
souls; and this in some measure through grace my soul 
hath experienced. When Samson had found honey, he 
gave some to his father and mother to eat, Judg. xiv. 9, 
10. Some honey I have found in the following text, 
and therefore I may not, I cannot be, such a churl, as 
not to give them some of the honey to taste, who have 
drank deep of the gall and wormwood. Austin observes 
on Psa. lxvi. 16, " Come and hear, all ye that fear God, 
and I will declare what he hath done for my soul." He 
doth not call them, saith he, to acquaint them with spec- 
ulations, how wide the earth is, how far the heavens are 
stretched out, what the number of the stars is, or what is 
the course of the sun; but come, and I will tell you the 
wonders of his grace, the faithfulness of his promises, 
the riches of his mercy to my soul. Gracious experi- 
ences are to be communicated. We learn that we may 
teach, is a proverb among the rabbins: and I therefore, 
lay in, and lay up, that I may draw forth again, and lay 
out for the good of many. When God hath dealt boun- 
tifully with us, others should reap some noble good by 
us; the family, the town, the city, the country, where a 
man lives, should fare the better for his faring well. 
Our mercies and experiences should be as a running 
spring at our doors, which is not only for our own use, 
but also for our neighbors, yea, and for strangers too. 



author's preface. xi 

2. What is written is permanent, and spreads itself 
further by filr, for time, place, and persons, than the 
voice can reach. The pen is an artificial tongue; it 
speaks as well to absent as to present friends; it speaks 
to them that are afar off, as well as those that are near; 
it speaks to many thousands at once; it speaks not only 
to the present age, but also to succeeding ages. The 
pen is a kind of image of eternity, it will make a man 
live when he is dead. Though the prophets do not live 
forever, Zech. i. 5, yet their labors may. A man's 
writings may preach, when he cannot, when he may not, 
and when, by reason of bodily distempers, he dares not; 
yea, and that which is more, when he is not. 

3. Few men, if any, have iron memories. How soon 
is a sermon preached forgotten, when a sermon written 
remains! Augustine, writing to Volusian, saith, « That 
which is written, is always at hand to be read, when the 
reader is at leisure." Men do not easily forget their 
own names, nor their father's house, nor the wives of 
their bosoms, nor their offspring, nor to eat their daily 
bread; and yet, ah! how easily do they forget that word 
of grace that should be dearer to them than all! Most 
men's memories, especially in the great concernments of 
their souls, are like a sieve or boulter, where the good 
corn and fine flour goes through, but the light chaff and 
coarse bran remains behind; or like a strainer, where the 
sweet liquor is strained out, but the dregs are left be- 
hind; or like a grate, that lets the pure water run away, 
but if there be any straws, sticks, mud, or filth, these it 
holds, as it were, with iron hands. Most men's mem- 
ories are very treacherous, especially in good things. 
Few men's memories are a holy ark, a heavenly store- 
house, or magazine for their souls; and therefore they 
stand in the more need of a written word. But, 

4. Its marvellous suitableness and usefulness under 
those great turns and changes that have passed upon us. 
As every wise husbandman observes the fittest seasons 
to sow his seed; some he sows in the autumn and fall 



Xll AUTHOR'S PREFACE. 

of the leaf, some in the spring of the year, Isa. xxviii. 
25; some in a dry season, and some in a wet; some in a 
moist clay, and some in a sandy, dry ground; so every 
spiritual husbandman must observe the fittest time to 
sow his spiritual seed in. He hath heavenly seed by 
him for all occasions and seasons, for spring and fall, for 
all grounds, heads, and hearts. Now, whether the seed 
sown in the following treatise be not suitable to the times 
and seasons wherein we are cast, is left to the judgment 
of the prudent reader to determine. 

5. The good acceptance that my other weak labors 
have found. God hath blessed them, not only to the 
conviction, the edification, confirmation, and consolation 
of many, but also to the conversion of many. God is a 
free Agent, to work by what hand he pleases, and some- 
times he takes pleasure to do great things by weak things, 
" that no flesh may glory in his presence," 1 Cor. i. 27- 
29. God will not despise the day of small things; and 
who or what art thou that darest despise that day? The 
Spirit breathes upon whose preaching and writing he 
pleases, John iii. 8, and all prospers according as that 
wind blows. 

6. That all afflicted and distressed Christians may 
have a proper salve for every sore, a proper remedy 
against every disease at hand, Prov. xxv. 11. As every 
good man, so every good book, is not fit to be the afflict- 
ed man's companion; but this is adapted to his case. 
Here he may see his face, his head, his hand, his heart, 
his way, his w©rks. Here he may see all his diseases 
discovered, and proper remedies proposed and applied. 
Here he may find argumen s to silence him, and means 
to quiet him, when it is the wo st with him. In every 
storm, here he may find a shelter, and in every danger, 
a city of refuge; in every difficulty, here he may have a 
light to guide him, and in eve y peril, a buckler to defend 
him; in every distress, here he may find a cordial to 
strengthen him, and in every trouble, a staff to support 
him. 



AUTHOR'S PREFACE. Xlll 

7. To satisfy some bosom friends, some faithful friends. 
Man is made to be a friend, and apt for friendly offices. 
He that is not friendly, is not worthy to have a friend; 
and he that hath a friend, and doth not show himself 
friendly, is not worthy to be accounted a man. Friend- 
ship is a kind of life, without which there is no comfort 
of a man's life. Christian friendship ties such a knot, 
1 Sam. xxii. 1, 2, that great Alexander cannot cut. Sum- 
mer friends I yaluenot, but winter friends are worth their 
weight in gold; and who can deny such any thing, espe- 
cially in these days, wherein real, faithful, constant friends 
are so rare to be found?* The friendship of most men is 
like Jonah's gourd ; now very promising and flourishing, 
and anon fading and withering. It is like some plants in 
the water, which have broad leaves on the surface of the 
water, but scarcely any root at all; their friendship is 
like lemons, cold within, hot without; their expressions 
are high, but their affections are low; they speak much, 
but do little: as drums, and trumpets, and ensigns in a 
battle, make a great noise, and a fine show, but act 
nothing, so these counterfeit friends will compliment 
highly, bow handsomely, speak plausibly, and promise 
greatly, and yet have neither a hand nor heart to act any 
thing cordially or faithfully. From such friends it is a 
mercy to be delivered. But for all this, there are some 
that are real friends, faithful friends, active friends, win- 
ter friends, bosom friends, fast friends; and for their 
sakes (especially those among them that have been long, 
very long under the smarting rod, and in the fiery fur- 
nace, and that have been often poured from vessel to ves- 
sel) have I once more appeared in print to the world. 

8. Lastly, there hath not any author come to my hand, 
that hath handled this subject as I have done, and there- 
fore I do not know but it may be the more grateful and 
acceptable to the world ; and if by this essay others that 

* Oh, my friends ! I have never a friend, said Socrates. A 
friend is a very mutable creature, said Plato. 

l* 



XIV AUTHOR'S PREFACE. 

are more able shall be provoked to do more worthily 
upon this subject, I shall therefore rejoice. Thus I have 
given you a true and faithful account of the reasons that 
have prevailed with me to publish this treatise to the 
world, and to dedicate it to yourselves. 

I would now give you a little good counsel, that you 
may so read the following discourse, as that it may turn 
much to your souls' advantage. Many read good books, 
and yet get nothing, because they read them over curso- 
rily, slightly, and superficially; but he that would read 
to profit, must, 

1. Look up for a blessing. Paul may plant, and Apol- 
los may water; but all will be to no purpose, except 
the Lord give the increase, 1 Cor. iii. 6, 7. God must 
do the deed, or else all that is done will do you no good. 
If you would have this work successful and effectual, you 
must look offfrom man, and look up to God, who alone 
can make it a blessing to you; as, without a blessing 
from Heaven, thy clothes cannot warm thee, nor thy 
food nourish thee, nor physic cure thee, nor friends com- 
fort thee; so without a blessing from Heaven, without 
the precious breathings and influences of the Spirit, what 
here is done will do you no good, it will not turn to your 
account in the day of Christ; and therefore cast an eye 
Heaven-wards. How many are therein these days, who 
when they go to read a book, never look up for God's 
blessing ! Seneca observes, that the husbandmen in 
Egypt never look up to heaven for rain in time of drought, 
but to the overflowing of the Nile. How many there 
are, who when they read a book never look after the 
rain of God's blessing, but look to the river. They 
only look to the wit, the learning, the arts, the parts, the 
eloquence, &c. of the author; they never look so high 
as Heaven ; and hence it comes to pass, that though 
these read much, yet they profit little. 

2. He that would read to profit, must read and medi- 
tate. Meditation is the food of your souls; it is the very 
stomach and natural heat whereby spiritual truths are 



author's PREFACE* XV 

digested. A man shall as soon live without his heart, as 
he shall be able to get good by what he reads, without 
meditation. Prayer, saith Augustine, without medita- 
tion, is dry and formal; and reading without meditation 
is useless and unprofitable. He that would be a wise, 
a prudent, and an able, experienced statesman, must not 
hastily ramble and run over many cities, countries, cus- 
toms, laws, and manners of people, without serious mu- 
sing and pondering upon such things as may make him. 
an expert statesman; so he that would get good by read- 
ing, that would complete his knowledge, and perfect his 
experience in spiritual things, must not slightly and hastily 
ramble and run over this book or that, but ponder upon 
what he reads; as Mary pondered the saying of the an- 
gel in her heart. " Lord," saith Augustine, " the more 
I meditate on thee, the sweeter thou art to me;" so the 
more you shall meditate on the following matter, the 
sweeter it will be to you. They usually thrive best who 
meditate most. Meditation is a soul-nourishing duty, a 
grace-strengthening duty. Gerson calls meditation the 
nurse of prayer; lerom calls it his paradise; Basil calls 
it the treasury where all the graces are stored up; The- 
ophylact calls it the very gate and portal by which we 
enter into glory; and Aristotle, though a heathen, places 
felicity in the contemplation of the mind. You may read 
much, and hear much; yet without meditation you will 
never be excellent, you will never be eminent christians. 
3. Read, and try what thou readest; take nothing upon 
trust, but all upon trial, 1 John iv. 1, as those noble 
Bereans did, Acts xvii. 10, 11. You will try, and tell, 
and weigh gold, though it be handed to you by your 
fathers; and so should you all those heavenly truths that 
are handed to you by your spiritual fathers. I hope, 
upon trial, you will find nothing but what will hold weight 
in the balance of the sanctuary; and though all be not 
gold that glitters, yet I judge that you will find nothing 
here to glitter, that will not be found, upon trial, to be 
true gold. 



XVI AUTHOR'S PREFACE. 

4. Read, and do; read, and practise what you read, 
or else all your reading will do you no good. He that 
hath a good book in his hand, but not a lesson of it in his 
heart, or life, is like that ass that carries rich burdens and 
feeds upon thistles. Jn divine account, a man knows no 
more than he doth. Profession, without practice, will 
but make a man twice told a child of darkness. To speak 
well is to sound like a cymbal; but to do well is to act 
like an angel. He that practices what he reads and un- 
derstands, God will help him to understand what he un- 
derstands not, John vii. 16, 17; Psa. cxix. 98, 99, 100. 
There is no fear of knowing too much, though there is 
much fear in practising too little. The most doing man 
shall be the most knowing man; the mightiest man in 
practice, will, in the end, prove the mightiest man in 
scripture. Theory is the guide of practice, and practice 
is the life of theory. Salvian relates how the heathen did 
reproach some christians who by their lewd lives made 
the gospel of Christ to be a reproach. Where (said they) 
is that good law which they do believe? where are those 
rules of godliness which they do learn? They read the 
holy gospel, and yet are unclean; they hear the apostle's 
writings, and yet live in drunkenness; they follow Christ, 
and yet disobey Christ; they profess a holy law, and yet 
lead impure lives. Ah! how may many preachers take 
up sad complaints against many readers in these days! 
They read our works, and yet in their lives they deny 
our works; they praise our works, and yet in their con- 
versations they reproach our works; they cry up our la- 
bors in their discourses, and yet they cry them down in 
their practices. Yet I hope better things of you into 
whose hands this treatise shall fall. The Samaritan wo- 
man did not fill her pitcher with water that she might 
talk of it, but that she might use it. The application is 
easy. 

5. Read and apply. Reading is but the drawing of 
the bow; application is the hitting of the mark. The 



author's preface, xvii 

choicest truths will no further profit you, than they are 
applied by you; you had as good not read, as not apply 
what you read. The plaster will not heal, if it be not 
applied. No man attains to health by reading Galen, or 
by knowing Hippocrates' aphorisms, but by the practical 
application of them. All the reading in the world will 
never make for the health of your souls, except you ap- 
ply what you read. The true reason why many read so 
much, and profit so little, is, because they do not apply 
and bring home what they read to their own souls. But, 
6. Read and pray. He that makes not conscience of 
praying over what he reads, will find little sweetness or 
profit in his reading. No man makes such earnings of 
his reading, as he that prays over what he reads. Luther 
professeth, that he profited more in the knowledge of the 
scriptures, by prayer, in a short space of time, than by 
study in a longer. John, while weeping, had the sealed 
book opened. Men would gain much more than they do, 
by reading good men's works, if they would but pray 
more over what they read. Ah, christians! pray before 
you read, and pray after you read, that all may be 
blessed and sanctified to you. When you have done 
reading, usually close up thus: 

" So let me live, so let me die, 
That I may live eternally." 

And when you are in the mount for yourselves, bear 
him upon your hearts, who is willing to spend and be 
spent for your sakes, for your souls. O pray for me, 
that I may more and more be under the rich influences 
and glorious out-pourings of the Spirit; that I may be an 
able minister of the New Testament, not of the letter but 
of the Spirit, 2 Cor. iii. 6; that I may always find an 
everlasting spring, and an overflowing fountain within me, 
which may always make me faithful, constant, and abun- 
dant, in the work of the Lord; and that I may live daily 



xviii author's preface. 

under those inward teachings of the Spirit, that may en- 
able me to speak from the heart to the heart, from the 
conscience to the conscience, and from experience to ex- 
perience; that I may be a burning and a shining light; 
that everlasting arms may be still under me; that whilst 
I live, I may be serviceable to the glory of God, and his 
people's good; that nothing may discourage me in my 
work; and that when my work is done, I may give up 
my account with joy, and not with grief. I shall follow 
these poor labors with my weak prayers, that they may 
contribute much to your internal and eternal welfare; 
and so rest, 

Your souls' servant in our dearest Lord, 

Thoma.s Brooks. 



THE 



MUTE CHRISTIAN 



THE SMARTING ROD. 



PSALM XXXIX. 9. 

J was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou 
didst it 

This Psalm consists of two parts : a narra- 
tion and prayer take up the whole. In the 
former you have the prophet's disease discov- 
ered, and in the latter the remedy applied. 
My text falls in the latter part, where you have 
the way of David's cure, or the means by 
which his soul was reduced to a still and quiet 
temper. I shall give a little light into the 
words, and then come to the point that I in- 
tend to stand upon. 

" I was dumb." The Hebrew word signi- 



20 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

fies to be mute, tongue-tied, or dumb; it signi- 
fies also to bind, as well as to be mute and 
dumb, because they that are dumb are, as it 
were, tongue-tied, and bound up. The sight 
of God's hand in the affliction that was upon 
him, makes him lay a law of silence upon his 
heart and tongue. 

u I opened not my mouth, because thou 
didst it." He looks through all secondary 
causes, to the First Cause, and is silent ; he 
sees the hand of God in all, and so sits mute 
and quiet. 

The sight of God in affliction, is of an irre- 
sistible efficacy, to silence the heart, and to 
stop the mouth of a gracious man. In the 
words you may observe three things : 

1. The person speaking, and that is David ; 
David a king, David a saint, David a man af- 
ter God's own heart, David a christian. And 
here w T e are to look upon David, not as a king, 
but as a christian, as a man whose heart was 
right with God. 

2. The action and carriage of David under 
the hand of God, in these words, " I was 
dumb, and opened not my mouth." 

3. The reason of this humble and sweet 
carriage of his, in these words, u because thou 
didst it." The proposition is this : 

Doct. u That it is the great duty and con- 
cernment of gracious souls to be mute and 
silent under the greatest afflictions, the saddest 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 21 

providences, and sharpest trials that they meet 
with in this world." 

For the opening and clearing up of this great 
and useful truth, I shall inquire, 

I. What this silence is that is here pointed at. 

II. What a gracious, a holy silence doth 
include. 

III. What this holy silence doth not ex- 
clude. 

IV. The reasons of the point : and then 
bring home all by way of application to our 
own souls. 

I. For the first, What is the silence here 
meant ? I answer, There is a seven-fold si- 
lence. 

1. There is a stoical silence. The stoics 
of old thought it altogether below a man, that 
hath reason and understanding, either to rejoice 
in any good, or to mourn for any evil. But 
this stoical silence is such a sinful insensible- 
ness, as is very provoking to a holy God, Isa. 
xxvi. 10, 11. God will make the insensible 
sinner sensible, either of his hand here, or of 
his wrath in hell. It is a heathenish and a hor- 
rid sin, to be without natural affection, Rom. 
i. 31. Of this sin Quintus Fabius Maximus 
seems to be guilty, who, when he heard that 
his mother and wife, whom he dearly loved, 
were slain by the fall of an house, and that his 
younger son, a brave, hopeful young man, died 
at the same time in Umbria, never changed his 
2 



22 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

countenance, but went on with the affairs of 
the commonwealth as if no such calamity had 
befallen him. This is a sottish insensibleness, 
Job xxxvi. 13. If the loss of a child in the 
house be no more to thee than the loss of a 
chick in the yard, thy heart is base and sordid, 
and thou mayest well expect some sore awa- 
kening judgment. Aristotle speaks of fishes 
which, though they have spears thrust into 
their sides, yet awake not. God thrusts many 
a sharp spear through a sinner's heart, and yet 
he feels nothing ; he complains of nothing. 
These men's souls will bleed to death. Such 
stupidity is a curse, which many a man lies 
under. This stoical silence, which is but a 
sinful sullenness, is not the silence here meant. 
2. There is a politic silence ; many are si- 
lent out of policy. If they were not silent, 
they would lay themselves more open, either 
to the rage and fury of men, or else to the plots 
and designs of men ; to prevent which, they are 
silent, and will lay their hands upon their mouths, 
that others may not lay their hands upon their 
estates, lives, or liberties. " And Saul also 
went home to Gibeah ; and there went with him 
a band of men, whose hearts God had touched. 
But the children of Belial said, How shall this 
man save us ? And they despised him, and 
brought him no presents. But he held his 
peace," or was as though he had been deaf, 
1 Sam. x. 26, 27. This new king, being but 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 23 

newly entered upon his kingly government, and 
observing his condition to be but mean and 
low, his friends but few, and his enemies many 
and potent, sons of Belial, that is, men without 
yoke, (as the word signifies,) men that were 
desperately wicked, who would neither submit 
to reason nor religion, nor be governed by the 
laws of nature, nor of nations, nor yet by the 
laws of God ; this young prince, in order to 
prevent sedition and rebellion, blood and de- 
struction, prudently and politically chooses rath- 
er to lay his hand upon his mouth, than to take 
a wolf by the ear or a lion by the beard. He 
therefore turns a deaf ear to all they say ; his 
unsettled condition requiring silence. But this 
is not the silence the text speaks of. 

3. There is a foolish silence. Some fools 
there be, that can neither do well nor speak 
well ; and because they cannot word it, neither 
as they would nor as they should, they are so 
wise as to be mute. "Even a fool, when he 
holdeth his peace, is counted wise ; and he 
that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of un- 
derstanding," Prov. xvii. 28. As he cannot 
be wise that speaks much, so he cannot be 
known for a fool that says nothing. There 
are many wise fools in the world. There are 
many silly souls, who, by holding their tongues, 
gain the credit and honor of being discreet 
men. He that doth not discover his want of 
wisdom, by foolish babbling, is accounted wise, 



24 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

though he may be otherwise. Silence is so 
rare a virtue, where wisdom doth regulate it, 
that it is accounted a virtue where folly doth 
impose it. Silence was so highly honored 
among the old Romans, that they erected al- 
tars to it. Tliat man shall pass for a man of 
understanding, who so far understands himself 
as to hold his tongue ; for though it be a great 
misery to be a fool, yet it is a greater, that a 
man cannot be a fool but he must needs show 
it. But this foolish silence is not the silence 
here meant. 

4. There is a sullen silence. Many, to 
gratify a humor, are sullenly silent. These 
;are troubled with a dumb devil, which was the 
w r orst of all the devils you read of in the scrip- 
ture, Mark is. 17 — 29. There is a generation 
amongst us, who., when they are under the 
afflicting hand of God, have no mouth to 
plead with God, no lips to praise God, no 
tongue to justify God ; these are possessed 
with a dumb devil : and this dumb devil had 
possessed Ahab for a time: "And Ahab 
came into his house, heavy and displeased, 
and laid him down upon his bed, and turned 
away his face, and would eat no bread," 1 
Kings xxi. 4. Ahab's ambitious humor, his 
covetous humor, being crossed, he is resolved 
to starve himself, and to die of the sullens. A 
sullen silence is both a sin and a punishment; 
oo devil frets and vexes, wears and wastes the 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 25 

spirits of a man like this dumb devil, like this 
sullen silence. But this is not the silence 
here meant. 

5. There is a forced silence. Many are 
silent perforce. He that is under the power 
of his enemy, though he suffer many hard things, 
yet he is silent under his sufferings, because he 
knows he is liable to worse. He that hath 
taken away his liberty, may take away his life; 
he that hath taken away his money, may take 
off his head; he that hath let him blood in the 
foot, may let him blood in the throat, if he will 
not be still and quiet ; and this works silence 
perforce. So when many are under the afflict- 
ing hand of God, conscience tells them, that 
now they are under the hand of an enemy, and 
the power of that God whom they have dis- 
honored, whose Son they have crucified, whose 
Spirit they have grieved, whose righteous laws 
they have transgressed, whose ordinances they 
have despised, and whtise people they have 
abused and opposed ; and that he that hath ta- 
ken away one child, may take away every 
child ; he that hath taken away the wife, might 
have taken away the husband ; he that hath 
taken away some part of the estate, might have 
taken away all the estate ; and he who hath 
inflicted some distempers upon the body, might 
have cast both body and soul into hell-fire for- 
ever; he that hath shut him up in his cham- 
ber, may shut him out of heaven at pleasure. 
2* 



26 THE MUTE CHRISTIAK 

Thoughts of these things make many a sinner 
silent tinder the hand of Gad. The eye that 
sin shuts, afflictions open. But this is but 
& forced silence. Such was the silence of 
Philip II. of Spain, who, when his invinci- 
ble Armada, that had been three years a fit- 
ting, was lost, gave command that, all over 
Spain, they should give thanks to God &nd the 
saints that it was no more grievous. As the 
cudgel forces the dog to fee quiet and still, and 
the rod forces the child to be silent and mute ; 
so the apprehensions of what God hath done,, 
&nd of what God may do, force many a soul 
to be silent. Bat this is not the silence hem 
meant. A forced silence is rro silence m the 
<eye of God. 

6. There is a despairing silence. A des- 
pairing soul is a terror to himself; he hath a 
hell in his heart, and horror in his conscience. 
He looks upwards, and there he beholds God 
frowning, and Christ bleeding ; he looks in- 
wards, and there he finds conscience accusing 
and condemning him. He looks on the one 
side of him, and there he hears all his sins 
crying out, We are thine, and we will follow 
thee, we will go to the grave and to judgment 
with thee, and from judgment we will go to 
hell with thee. He looks on the other side of 
him, and there he sees infernal fiends, in fear- 
ful shapes, amazing and terrifying him, and 
waiting to receive his despairing soul as soon 



trNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 27 

as she shall take her leave of his wretched 
body. He looks above him, and there he sees 
the gates of heaven shut against him ; he looks 
beneath him, and there he sees hell gaping for 
him ; and, under these sad sights, he is full of 
secret conclusions against his own soul v . There 
is mercy for others, saith the despairing soul, 
but none for me ; grace and favor for others, 
but none for me ; pardon and peace for others, 
and none for me ; blessedness and happiness 
for others, but none for me. There is no help, 
there is no hope, no, Jer. ii. 25 ; xvii. T2. As 
that despairing Pope said, The cross could do 
him no good, because he had so often sold it. 
Now under these dismal apprehensions and sad 
conclusions about its present and future condi- 
tion> the despairing soul sits silent, being filled 
with amazement and astonishment. "I am so 
troubled that I cannot speak," Psa. Ixxvii. 4. 
But this is not the silence here meant. But, 

7. Lastly, There is a prudent silence, a holy, a 
gracicms silence, that springs from prudent prin- 
ciples, from holy principles, and from gracious 
causes and considerations; and this is the silence 
here mennt. And this I fully discover in my 
answers to the second question, which is this, 

II. What doth a prudent, a gracious, a holy 
silence include? 

Arts. It includes these eight things: 

1. It includes a sight of God, and an ac- 
knowledgment of God, as the Author of alt 



28 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

the afflictions, that come upon us; and this 
you have plain in the text, u I was dumb, I 
opened not my mouth, because thou didst it," 
The psalmist looks through secondary causes 
to the First Cause, and so sits mute be- 
fore the Lord. In second causes, many times 
a christian may see much envy, hatred, malice, 
pride, &c; but in the First Cause he can see 
nothing but grace and mercy, sweetness and 
goodness. There is no sickness so little that 
God does not send, though it be but the aching 
of the little finger. As the scribe is more 
eyed and properly said to write, than the pen; 
and he that maketh and keepeth the clock, is 
more properly said to make it go and strike, 
than the wheels and weights that hang upon it; 
and every workman is more eyed, and prop- 
erly said to effect his works, than the tools 
which he useth as his instruments; so the 
Lord, who is the chief Agent and mover in all 
actions, and who hath the greatest hand in all 
our afflictions, is more to be eyed and owned, 
than any inferior or subordinate causes what- 
soever. So Job beheld God in all; " The 
Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away," 
Job i. 21. Had he not seen God in the afflic- 
tion, he w T ould have cried out, Oh these 
w r retched Chaldeans! they have plundered and 
spoiled me! these wicked Sabeans! they have 
robbed and wronged me! Job discerns God's 
commission in the Chaldeans' and the Sabeans' 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 29 

hands, and then lays his own hand upon his 
mouth. So Aaron, beholding the hand of 
God in the untimely death of his two sons, 
held his peace, Lev. x. 3. The sight of God, 
in this sad stroke, is a bridle both to his mind 
and mouth, he neither mutters- nor murmurs. 
So Joseph saw the hand of God in his breth- 
ren's selling him into Egypt, Gen. xlv. 8, and 
that silences him. 

Men that see not God in an affliction, are 
easily cast into a feverish fit; they will quickly 
be in a flame; and when their passions are up y 
and their hearts on fire, they will begin to be 
saucy, and tell God to his teeth, that they da 
well to be angry, Jonah iv. 8, 9. Such as- 
will not acknowledge God to be the Author of 
all their afflictions, will be ready enough to fall 
in with that mad principle of the Manichees, 
who maintained the devil to be the author of 
all calamities; as if there could be any evil (or 
affliction) in the city, and the Lord have no 
hand in it, Amos iii. 6. Such as can see the 
ordering hand of God in all their afflictions, 
will, with David, lay their hands upon their 
mouths, when the rod of God is upon their 
backs, 2 Sam. xvi. 11, 12. If God's hand 
be not seen in the affliction, the heart will do 
nothing but fret and rage under affliction. 

2. It includes some holy, gracious appre- 
hensions, of the majesty, sovereignty, dignity, 
authority, and presence of that God under 



30 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

whose afflicting hand we are. u But the Lord 
is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep si- 
lence before him," Hab. ii. 20. When God 
would have all the people of the earth to be hush- 
ed, quiet, and silent before him, he would have 
them to behold him in his temple, where he sits 
in state, in majesty, and glory. "Hold thy 
peace at the presence of the Lord God," Zeph. 
i. 7. Murmur not, repine not, quarrel not: stand 
mute, and be silent, lay thy hand on thy mouth, 
when his hand is upon thy back, who is all eye 
to see, as well as all hand to punish. As the 
eyes of a well drawn picture are fastened on 
thee which way soever thou turnest; so are the 
eyes of the Lord, and therefore thou hast cause 
to stand mute before him. 

Thus Aaron had an eye to the sovereignty 
of God, Lev. x. 3, and that silences him. 
And Job had an eye upon the majesty of God, 
Job xxxvii. 23, 24, and that stills him. And 
Eli had an eye upon the authority and pres- 
ence of God, 1 Sam. iii. 11 — 18, and that 
quiets him. A man never comes to humble 
himself, nor to be silent under the hand of 
God, till he comes to see the hand of God to 
be a mighty hand. u Humble yourselves 
therefore under the mighty hand of God," 1 
Pet. v. 6. When men look upon the hand of 
God as a weak hand, a feeble hand, a low 
hand, a mean hand, their hearts rise against his 
hand: " Who is the Lord," said Pharaoh, 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 31 

"that I should obey his voice?" Exod. 5. 2. 
And till Pharaoh came to see the hand of God, 
and to feel it as a mighty hand, he would not 
let Israel go. When Tiribazus, a noble Per- 
sian, was arrested, at first he drew out his 
sword, and defended himself; but when they 
charged him in the king's name, and informed 
him that they came from the king, and were 
commanded to bring him to the king, he 
yielded willingly. So, when afflictions arrest 
us, we shall murmur, and grumble, and strug- 
gle, and strive even to the death, before w r e 
shall yield to that God that strikes, till we 
come to see his majesty and authority, Isa. 
xxvi. 11, 12, till we come to see him as the 
King of kings, and Lord of lords, Rev. xix. 
16. It is such a sight of God as this, that 
makes the heart to stoop under his almighty 
hand. The Thracians being ignorant of the 
dignity and majesty of God, when it thundered 
and lightened used to express their madness 
and folly in shooting their arrows against 
heaven, threatning-wise. As a sight of his 
grace cheers the soul, so a sight of his great- 
ness and glory silences the soul. But, 

3. A gracious, a prudent silence includes 
a holy quietness, and calmness of mind and 
spirit, under the afflicting hand of God. A 
gracious silence shuts out all inward heats, 
murmurings, frettings, quarrellings, wranglings, 
and boilings of heart, " Truly my soul keepeth 



32 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

silence unto God," Psa. lxii. 1, or is silent 
or still ; that is, my soul is quiet, and submis- 
sive to God ; all murmurings and repinings, 
passions, and turbulent affections, being al- 
layed, tamed, and subdued. This also is clear 
in the text, and in the former instances of 
Aaron, Eli, and Job ; they saw that it was a 
Father that put those bitter cups into their 
hands, and love that laid those heavy crosses 
upon their shoulders, and grace that put those 
yokes about their necks, and this caused much 
quietness and calmness in their spirits. Mari- 
us bit, in his pain, when the chirurgeon cut off 
his leg. Some men, when God cuts off this 
mercy and that mercy from them, bite, in their 
pain, they hide and conceal their grief and 
trouble ; but could you but look into their 
hearts, you would find all in an uproar, all out 
of order, all in a flame ; and, however they 
may seem to be cold without, yet they are all 
in a hot, burning fever within. Such a fever- 
ish fit David was once in, Psa. xxxix. 3. 
But certainly a holy silence allays all tumults 
in the mind, and makes a man in patience to 
possess his own soul, Luke xxi. 19; which, 
next to his possession of God, is the choicest 
and sweetest possession in all the world. The 
law of silence is as well upon that man's heart 
and mind, as it is upon his tongue, who is truly 
and divinely silent under the rebuking hand of 
God. As tongue-service, abstracted from 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 33 

heart-service, is no service in the account of 
God, Isa. xxix. 13 ; Matt. xv. 8, 9, so tongue- 
silence, abstracted from heart-silence, is no si- 
lence in the esteem of God. A man is then 
graciously silent, when all is quiet within and 
without. 

David by his harp could allay the tumul- 
tuous motions of Saul's mind. When God's 
people are under the rod, he makes, by his 
Spirit and word, such sweet music in their 
souls, as allays all tumultuous motions, passions, 
and perturbations, Psa. xciv. 17 — 19; cxix. 
49, 50 ; so that they sit quiet and still, and in 
peace possess their own souls. 

4. A prudent, a holy silence, takes in a 
humble justifying, clearing, and acquitting of 
God of all blame, rigor, and injustice, in all 
the afflictions he brings upon us. u That thou 
mayest be justified when thou speakest, and be 
clear when thou judgest," Psa. li. 4, that is, 
when thou correctest. God's judging his peo- 
ple, is God's correcting or chastening of his 
people. u When we are judged, we are 
chastened of the Lord," 1 Cor. xi. 32. Da- 
vid's great care, when he was under the afflict- 
ing hand of God, was to clear the Lord of in- 
justice. "Ah! Lord," saith he, " there is 
not the least show, spot, stain, blemish, or 
mixture of injustice, in all the afflictions thou 
hast brought upon me ; I desire to take shame 
to myself, and to set to my seal, that the Lord 
3 



34 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

is righteous, and that there is no injustice, no 
cruelty, no extremity, in all that the Lord hath 
brought upon me." And so in Psa. cxix.*75, 
137, he sweetly and readily subscribes unto the 
righteousness of God in those sharp and smart 
afflictions that God exercised him with : " I 
know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, 
and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. 
Righteous art thou, O Lord, and upright are 
thy judgments." God's judgments are always 
just ; he never afflicts but in faithfulness. His 
will is the rule of justice ; and, therefore, a 
gracious soul dares not cavil nor question his 
proceedings. The afflicted soul knows, that 
a righteous God can do nothing but that which 
is righteous ; it knows, that God is incontrolla- 
ble, and therefore, the afflicted man puts his 
mouth in the dust, and keeps silence before 
him. Who dare say, " Wherefore hast thou 
done so ?" 2 Sam. xvi. 10. Silently to kiss 
the rod, and the hand that whips with it, is the 
noblest way of clearing the Lord of all injus- 
tice. 

The Babylonish captivity was the sorest, the 
heaviest affliction, that ever God inflicted upon 
any people under heaven, Lam. i. 12, and 
Dan. ix. 12, &c. Yet, under those smart 
afflictions, wisdom is justified of her children. 
" Thou art just in all that is brought upon us ; 
for thou hast done right, but we have done 
wickedly," Neh. ix. 33. " The Lord is right- 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 35 

eous, for I have rebelled against him," Lam. 
i. 18. A holy silence shines in nothing more, 
than in a humble justifying and clearing of God 
from all that which a corrupt heart is apt 
enough to charge God with in the day of afflic- 
tion. God, in that he is good, can give noth- 
ing, and do nothing, but that which is good. 

5. A holy silence includes gracious, blessed, 
soul-quieting conclusions, about the issue and 
event of those afflictions that are upon us, 
Lam. iii. 27 — 34. In this choice scripture, 
you may observe these five soul-stilling con- 
clusions : 

(1.) (And that more generally,) That they 
shall work for their good. " It is good for a 
man that he bear the yoke in his youth," ver. 
27. A gracious soul secretly concludes, as 
stars shine brightest in the night, so God will 
make my soul shine and glitter like gold, whilst 
I am in, and when I come out of this furnace 
of affliction. " He knoweth the way that I 
take ; and when he hath tried me, I shall come 
forth as gold," Job xxiii. 10. 

Surely, as the taste of honey did open Jon- 
athan's eyes, so this cross, this affliction, shall 
open mine eyes ; by this stroke I shall come 
to have a clearer sight of my sins, and of my- 
self, and a fuller sight of my God, Job xxxiii. 
27, 28 ; xl. 4, 5 ; xlii. 1—6. 

Surely this affliction shall issue in the pur- 
ging away of my dross, Isa. i. 25. 



36 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

Surely, as ploughing the ground killeth the 
weeds, and harrowing breaketh hard clods, so 
these afflictions shall kill my sins, and soften 
my heart, Hos. v. 15; vi. 1 — 3. 

Surely, as the plaster draws out the core, 
so the afflictions that are upon me shall draw 
out the core of pride, the core of self-love, the 
core of envy, the core of earthliness, the core 
of formality, the core of hypocrisy, Psa. cxix. 
67—71. 

Surely by these the Lord will crucify my 
heart more and more to the world, and the 
world to my heart, Gal. vi. 14 ; Psa. cxxxi. 1,2. 

Surely by these afflictions the Lord will 
hide pride from my soul, Job xxxiii. 14 — 21. 

Surely these afflictions are but the Lord's 
prnning-knives, by which he will bleed my 
sins, and prune my heart, and make it more 
fertile and fruitful ; they are but the Lord's 
portion, by which he will clear me, and rid 
me of those spiritual diseases and maladies 
which are most deadly and dangerous to my 
soul. 

Affliction is such a potion as will carry 
away all ill humors. 

Surely these shall increase my spiritual ex- 
periences, Rom. v. 3, 4. 

Surely by these I shall be made more par- 
taker of God's holiness, Heb. xii. 10. Sharp 
afflictions make holy hearts. 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 37 

Surely by these God will communicate 
more of himself unto me, Hos. ii. 14. 

Surely by these afflictions the Lord will 
draw out my heart more and more to seek 
him, Isa. xxvi. 16. " In their afflictions they 
will seek me early, 5 ' Hos. v. 15; or, as the 
Hebrew hath it, they will morning me. In 
times of affliction, christians will industriously, 
speedily, early seek unto the Lord. 

Surely by these trials and troubles the Lord 
will fix my soul more than ever upon the great 
concernments of another world, Rom. viii. 17, 
18; 2 Cor. iv> 16—18. 

Surely by these afflictions the Lord will 
work in me more tenderness and compassion 
towards those that are afflicted, Heb. x. 34 ; 
xii. 3. The Romans punished one that was 
seen looking out of his window with a crown 
of roses on his head, in a time of public ca- 
lamity. 

Surely these are but God's love tokens. 
" As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten," 
Rev. iii. 19. Seneca persuaded his friend 
Polybius to bear his affliction quietly, because 
he was the Emperor's favorite, telling him it 
was not lawful to complain while Cesar was 
his friend. O my soul! be quiet, be still; all 
is in love, all is a fruit of Divine favor; I see 
honey upon the top of every twig ; the rod is 
but a rosemary branch ; I have sugar with my 
gall, and wine with my wormwood ; therefore, 
3* 



88 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

be silent, O my soul ! And this general con- 
clusion, that all shall be for good, had this 
blessed effect upon the church, " He sitteth 
alone, and keepeth silence, because he hath 
borne it upon him," ver. 28. 

Affliction abases the loveliness of the world 
without, that might entice us ; it abates the lus- 
tiness of the flesh within, which might else en- 
snare us ; and it abates the spirit in his quarrel 
against the flesh and the world ; by all which 
it proves a mighty advantage unto us. 

(2.) They shall keep them humble and low : 
" He putteth his mouth in the dust, if so be 
there may be hope," ver. 29, Some say, 
that these words are an allusion to the manner 
of those that, having been conquered and sub- 
dued, lay their necks down at the conqueror's 
feet, to be trampled upon, and to lick up the 
dust that is under the conqueror's feet. Others 
of the learned look upon the words as an allu- 
sion to poor petitioners, who cast themselves 
dow x n at princes' feet, that they may draw 
forth their pity and compassion towards them. 
Aristippus fell on the ground before Dionysius 
and kissed his feet when he presented a petition 
to him, and gave as the reason, u He hath 
ears in his feet." Take it which way you will, 
it holds forth this to us, " that holy hearts will 
be humble under the afflicting hand of God." 
When God's rod is upon their backs, their 
mouths shall be in the dust. A good heart 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 39 

will lie lowest, when the hand of God is lifted 
highest, Job xli. 1—7 ; Acts ix. 1 — 8. 

(3.) The third soul-quieting conclusion you 
have in ver. 31, " For the Lord will not cast 
off forever ;" the rod shall not always lie upon 
the back of the righteous. " At even-tide, 
lo ! there is trouble ; but afore morning it is 
gone," Isa. xvii. 14. As Athanasius said to 
his friends, when they came to bewail his mis- 
ery and banishment, It is but a little cloud, 
said he, and will quickly be gone. There are 
none of God's afflicted ones, that have not 
their intermissions, respites, breathing* whiles ; 
yea, so small a while doth the hand of the 
Lord rest upon his people, that Luther cannot 
get diminutives enough to extenuate it ; for he 
calls it "a very little cross that we bear." 
" Come, my people, enter thou into thy cham- 
bers, and shut thy doors about thee : hide thy- 
self, as it w r ere, for a little moment, (or for a 
little space, a little w 7 hile,) until the indignation 
be overpast," Isa. xxvi. 20. The indigna- 
tion doth not pass, but overpass. The sharp- 
ness, shortness, and suddenness of the saints' 
afflictions, is set forth by the travail of a wo- 
man, John xvi. 21, which is sharp, short, and 
sudden. 

(4.) The fourth soul-silencing conclusion 
you have in ver. 32, u But though he cause 
grief, yet will he have compassion, according 
to the multitude of his mercies." In wrath 



40 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

God remembers mercy, Hab. iii. 2. u Weep- 
ing may endure for a night, but joy cometh 
in the morning," Psa. xxx. 5. Their mourn- 
ing shall last but till morning. God will turn 
their winter's night into a summer's day, their 
sighing into singing, their grief into gladness, 
their mourning into music, their bitter into 
sweet, their wilderness into a paradise. The 
life of a christian is filled up with interchanges 
of sickness and health, weakness and strength, 
want and wealth, disgrace and honor, crosses 
and comforts, miseries and mercies, joys and 
sorrows, mirth and mourning. All honey 
would harm us, all wormwood would undo us ; 
a composition of both is the best way in the 
world to keep our souls in a healthy constitu- 
tion. It is best, and most for the health of the 
soul, that the south wind of mercy, and the 
north wind of adversity, do blow upon it : and 
every wind that blows, shall blow good to the 
saints; yet certainly their sins die most, and 
their graces thrive best, when they are under 
the drying, nipping north wind of calamity, as 
well as under the warm, cherishing south wind 
of mercy and prosperity. 

(5.) The fifth soul-quieting conclusion you 
have in ver. 33, "For he doth not afflict wil- 
lingly, (or, as the Hebrew hath it, from his 
heart,) nor grieve the children of men." The 
church concludes, that God's heart was not in 
their afflictions, though his hand was ; he takes 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 41 

no delight to afflict his children, it goes against 
his heart ; it is a grief to him to be grievous to 
them, a pain to him to be punishing them, a 
death to him to be striking them ; he hath no 
will, no motion, no inclination, no disposition, 
to that work of afflicting his people; and, 
therefore, he calls it his strange work, Isa. 
xxviii. 21. Mercy and punishment flow from 
God, as the honey and the sting from the bee : 
the bee yielded] honey of her own nature, but 
she doth not sting but when she is provoked. 
He takes delight in showing mercy, Mic. vii. 
18. He takes no pleasure in giving his people 
up to adversity, Hos. xi. 8. Mercy and kind- 
ness flow from him freely, naturally ; he is 
never severe, never harsh ; he never stings, he 
never terrifies us, but when he is sadly provo- 
ked by us. God's hand sometimes may lie 
very hard upon his people, when his heart (at 
those very times,) may be yearning towards 
his people, Jer. xxxi. 18 — 20. No man can 
tell how the heart of God stands, by his hand: 
his hand of mercy may be open to those against 
whom his heart is set ; as you see in the rich 
(poor) fool, and Dives, in the gospel ; and his 
hand of severity may lie hard upon those on 
whom he hath set his heart, as you may see in 
Job and Lazarus. And thus you see those 
gracious, blessed, soul-quieting conclusions, 
about the issue and event of afflictions, that a 
holy, a prudent silence doth include. 



42 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

6. A holy, a prudent silence, includes a 
strict charge, a solemn command that con- 
science lays upon the soul, to be quiet and 
still. " Rest in the Lord, (or, as the Hebrew 
hath it, be silent to the Lord,) and wait pa- 
tiently for him," Psa. xxxvii. 7. I charge 
thee, O my soul ! not to mutter, nor to mur- 
mur. I command thee, O my soul ! to be 
dumb and silent under the afflicting hand of 
God. As Christ laid a charge, a command 
upon the boisterous winds, and the roaring, 
raging seas, " Be still, and there was a great 
calm ;" so conscience lays a charge upon the 
soul to be quiet and still. " Wait on the 
Lord : be of good courage, and he shall 
strengthen thy heart: wait, I say, on the Lord," 
Psa. xxvii. 14. Peace, O my soul, be still ; 
leave your muttering, your murmuring, your 
complaining, your chafing and vexing, and lay 
your hand upon your mouth, and be silent. 
Conscience allays and stills all the tumults and 
uproars that be in the soul, by such like 
reasonings as the town clerk of Ephesus stilled 
that uproar ; " For we are in danger to be 
called in question for this day ? s uproar, there 
being no cause whereby we may give an ac- 
count of this concourse," Acts xix. 40. O 
my soul ! be quiet, be silent, else thou wilt 
one day be called in question for all those in- 
ward mutterings, uproars, and passions that are 
in thee, seeing no sufficient cause can be 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 43 

produced why you should murmur, quarrel, or 
wrangle, under the righteous hand of God. 

7. A holy, a prudent silence, includes a 
surrendering, a resigning up of ourselves to 
God, whilst we are under his afflicting hand, 
James iv. 7. The silent soul gives himself 
up to God, 1 Sam. iii. 18. The secret lan- 
guage of the soul is this, Lord, here am I, do 
with me what thou pleasest, 2 Sam. xv. 25, 
26 ; Acts xxi. 14. Write upon me as thou 
pleasest, I give up myself to be at thy dis- 
posal. 

There was a good woman, w 7 ho, when she 
was sick, being asked, whether she were wil- 
ling to live or die ? answered, " Which God 
pleaseth." But, said one that stood by, "If 
God should refer it to you, which would you 
choose?" "Truly," said she, "if God 
should refer it to me, I would even refer it to 
him again." This w r as a soul worth gold. 
Well, saith a gracious soul, the ambitious man 
gives himself up to his honors, but I give up 
myself unto thee ; the voluptuous man gives 
himself up to his pleasures, but I give myself to 
thee ; the covetous man gives himself up to his 
bags, but I give myself to thee ; the drunkard 
gives himself up to his cups, but I give my- 
self to thee ; the papist gives up himself to his 
idols, but I give myself to thee ; the Turk 
gives up himself to his Mahomet, but I give 
up myself to thee ; the heretic gives up him- 



44 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

self to his heretical opinions, but I give up 
myself to thee. Lord, lay what burden thou 
wilt upon me, only let thy everlasting arms be 
under me : strike, Lord, strike, and spare not,* 
for I lie down in thy will, I have learned to 
say Amen to thy Amen ; thou hast a greater 
interest in me than I have in myself, and there- 
fore, I give up myself unto thee, and am wil- 
ling to be at thy disposal, to receive what im- 
pression thou shalt stamp upon me. O blessed 
Lord ! hast thou not again and again said unto 
me, as once the king of Israel said to the king 
of Syria, "I am thine, and all that I have," 
1 Kings xx. 4. I am thine, O soul ! to save 
thee ; my mercy is thine to pardon thee ; my 
blood is thine to cleanse thee ; my merits are 
thine to justify thee ; my righteousness is thine 
to clothe thee ; my Spirit is thine to lead 
thee ; my grace is thine to enrich thee ; and 
my glory is thine to reward thee. And, there- 
fore, saith a gracious soul, I cannot but make 
a resignation of myself unto thee. "Lord, 
here I am, do with me as seemeth good in 
thine own eyes. 57 I know the best way to have 
my own will is to resign up myself to thy will, 
and to say Amen to thy Amen. 

I have read of a gentleman, who, meeting 
with a shepherd in a misty morning, asked 
him what weather it would be ? It will be (saith 

* Lulher. * 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 45 

the shepherd) what weather pleaseth me : and 
being corteously requested to explain his mean- 
ing, Sir, (saith he,) it shall be what weather 
pleaseth God, and what weather pleaseth God 
pleaseth me. When a christian's will is mould- 
ed into the will of God, he is sure to have 
his will. But, 

8. Lastly, A holy, a prudent silence, in- 
cludes a patient waiting upon the Lord under 
our afflictions, till deliverance comes. "My 
soul wait thou only upon God, for my expec- 
tation is from him. Psa. xl. 1; lxii. 5. "It 
is good that a man should both hope, and 
quietly (or, as the Hebrew hath it, silently) 
wait for the salvation of the Lord," Lam. iii. 
26. The husbandman patiently waiteth for 
the precious fruits of the earth, James v. 7, 8 ; 
the mariner patiently waiteth for wind and 
tide ; and so doth the watchman for the dawning 
of the day ; and so doth the silent soul, in the 
night of adversity, patiently wait for the dawn- 
ing of the day of mercy. The mercies of God 
are not styled the swift, but the sure mercies 
of David, and therefore a gracious soul waits 
patiently for them. And thus you see what a 
gracious, a prudent silence doth include. 

III. The third thing is to discover what a 
holy, a prudent silence, under affliction, doth 
not exclude. Now, there are eight things 
that a holy patience doth not exclude. 

1. A holy, a prudent silence under afflic- 
4 



46 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

tion, doth not exclude and shut out a sense 
and feeling of our afflictions, Psa. xxxix. 
Though he was dumb, and laid his hand upon 
his mouth, ver. 9, yet he was very sensible of 
his affliction : u Remove thy stroke away from 
me : I am consumed by the blow of thine 
hand. When thou with rebukes dost correct 
man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to 
consume away like a moth : surely every man 
is vanity," ver. 10, 11. He is sensible of his 
pain, as well as of his sin ; and having prayed 
off his sin in the former verses, he labors here 
to pray off his pain. Diseases, aches, sick- 
nesses, and pains, are all the daughters of sin; 
and he that is not sensible of them as the births 
and products of sin, doth but add to his sin, 
and provoke the Lord to add to his sufferings, 
Isa. xxvi. 10, 11. No man shall ever be 
charged by God for feeling his burden, if he 
neither fret nor faint under it ; grace doth not 
destroy nature, but rather perfecteth it; grace 
is of a noble offspring, it neither turneth men 
into stocks or into stoics ; the more grace, the 
more sensible of the tokens, frowns, blows, 
and lashes of a displeased Father. Though 
Calvin, under his greatest pains, was never 
heard to mutter or murmur, yet he was heard 
often to say, How long, Lord, how long? 
A religious commander being shot in battle, 
when the wound was searched, and the bullet 
cut out, some standing by, pitying his pains, 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 47 

he replies, Though I groan, yet I bless God I 
do not grumble. God allows his people to 
groan, though not to grumble. It is a God- 
provoking sin, to be stupid and senseless under 
the afflicting hand of God. God will heat that 
man's furnace of affliction sevenfold hotter, who 
is in the furnace, but feels it not. "Who 
gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the rob- 
bers ? did not the Lord, he against whom we 
have sinned ? for they would not walk in his 
ways, neither were they obedient unto his law. 
Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury 
of his anger, and the strength of battle : and it 
hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew 
not ; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to 
heart," Isa. xlii. 24, 25. Stupidity lays a 
man open to the greatest fury and severity. 

The physician, when he finds that the po- 
tion which he had given his patient will not 
work, seconds it with one more violent. 
If a gentle plaster will not serve, then the sur- 
geon applies that which is more corroding ; and 
if that will not do, then he makes use of his 
cauterizing knife. So when the Lord afflicts, 
and men feel it not ; when he strikes, and they 
grieve not ; when he wounds them, and they 
awake not: then the furnace is made hotter 
than ever ; then his fury burns, then he lays on 
irons upon irons, bolt upon bolt, and chain 
upon chain, until he hath made their lives a 
hell. Afflictions are the saints' diet-drink ; and 



48 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

where do you read, in all the scripture, that 
ever any of the saints drank of this diet-drink, 
and were not sensible of it ? 

2. A holy, a prudent silence doth not shut 
out prayer for deliverance out of our afflic- 
tion. Though the Psalmist lays his hand upon 
his mouth, in the text, yet he prays for deliver- 
ance ; w Remove thy stroke away from me," 
ver. 10; and ver. 12, 13, " Hear my prayer, 
O Lord, and give ear unto my cry ; hold not 
thy peace at my tears ; for I am a stranger 
with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers 
were. O spare me, that I may recover 
strength, before I go hence and be no more." 
"Is any among you afflicted ? let him pray," 
Jam. v. 13. "Call upon me in the day of 
trouble : I will deliver thee, and thou shalt 
glorify me," Psa. 1, 15. Times of affliction, 
by God's own injunction, are special times of 
supplication. David's heart was more often 
out of tune than his harp ; but then he prays, 
and presently cries, u Return to thy rest, O 
my soul ! " Jonah prays in the whale's belly, 
and Daniel prays when among the lions, and 
Job prays when on the dunghill, and Jeremiah 
prays when in the dungeon, &c. ; yea, the 
heathen mariners, as stout as they were, when 
in a storm, they cry every man to his god, 
Jonah i. 5, 6.* To call upon God, especial- 

* It is an old saying, Qui nescitorare, discat navigare: 
He that would learn to pray, let him go to sea. 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 49 

ly in times of distress and trouble, is a lesson 
that the very light and law of nature teaches. 
The Persian messenger, (though a heathen,) as 
iEschylus observeth, saith thus : " When the 
Grecian forces hotly pursued our host, and we 
must needs venture over the great water Stry- 
mon, frozen then, but beginning to thaw, when 
a hundred to one we had all died for it : with 
mine eyes, saith he, I saw many of those gal- 
lants, whom I had heard before so boldly main- 
tain there was no God, every one upon his 
knees, and devoutly praying that the ice might 
hold till they got over." And shall blind na- 
ture do more than grace ? If the time of 
affliction be not a time of supplication, I know 
not w T hat is. 

There are two kinds of antidotes against all 
the troubles and afflictions of this life, namely, 
prayer and patience ; the one hot, the other 
cold ; the one quickening, the other quenching. 
Chrysostom understood this well enough, when 
he cried out, It is more bitter than death to be 
spoiled of prayer : and thereupon observes, 
that Daniel chose rather to run the hazard of 
his life, than to lose his prayer. Well, this is 
the second thing ; a holy silence doth not ex- 
clude prayer. But, 

3. A holy, a prudent silence doth not ex- 
clude men's being kindly affected and afflicted 
with their sins, as the meritorious cause of all 
4* 



50 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

their sorrows and sufferings.* "Wherefore 
doth a living man complain, a man for the pun- 
ishment of his sins ? Let us search and try 
our ways, and turn again to the Lord," Lam. 
iii. 39, 40. " Behold, I am vile, what shall I 
answer thee ? I will lay my hand upon my 
mouth. Once have I spoken, but I will not 
answer; yea, tw T ice, but I will proceed no 
further," Job xl. 4, 5. "I will bear the in- 
dignation of the Lord, because I have sinneu 
against him," Mic. vii. 9. In all our sorrows 
we should read our sins ; and, when God's 
hand is upon our backs, our hands should be 
upon our sins. 

It was a good saying of one, I hide not my 
sins, but I show them; I wipe them not away, 
but I sprinkle them ; I do not excuse them, but 
accuse them : the beginning of my salvation is 
the knowledge of my transgression. When 
some told prince Henry, that darling of man- 
kind, that the sins of the people brought that 
affliction on him ; O no, said he, I have sins 
enough of my own to cause that. I have sin- 
ned, said David, but what have these poor 
sheep done ? When a christian is under the 
afflicting hand of God, he may well say, I may 
thank this proud heart of mine, this worldly 
heart, this froward heart, this formal heart, 
this dull heart, this backsliding heart, this self- 
seeking heart of mine ; for that this cup is so 

* Read Ezra ix., Neb. ix ., Dan. ix., Psa. li., Job vii. 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 51 

bitter, this pain so grievous, this loss so great, 
this disease so desperate, this wound so incura- 
ble ; it is mine own self, mine own sin, that 
hath caused these floods of sorrows to break 
in upon me. But, 

4. A holy, a prudent silence doth not ex 
elude the teaching and instruction of others, 
when we are afflicted. The words of the 
afflicted stick close ; they many times work 
strongly, powerfully, and savingly, upon the 
souls and consciences of others. Many of 
Paul's epistles were written to the churches 
when he was in bonds, namely, Galatians, 
Ephesians, Philippians, Collossians, Philemon. 
He begot Onesimus in his bonds, Philem. 10. 
And many of the brethren in the Lord waxed 
bold and confident by his bonds, and were con- 
firmed, and made partakers of grace, by his 
ministry, when he was in bonds, Phil. i. 7. 
13, 14. As the words of dying persons do 
many times stick and work gloriously, so many 
times do the words of afflicted persons work 
very nobly and efficaciously. I have read of 
one Adrianus, who, seeing the martyrs suffer 
such grievous things in the cause of Christ, 
asked, What was that which enabled them to 
suffer such things ? and one of them named, 
"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither 
have entered into the heart of man, the things 
which God bath prepared for them that love 
him." 1 Cor. ii. 9. This word was like ap- 



52 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

pies of gold in pictures of silver ; for it made 
him not only a convert, but a martyr too, Prov. 
xxv. 1 1 . And this was the means of Justin 
Martyr's conversion, as himself confesseth. 
Doubtless many have been made happy by the 
words of the afflicted ; the tongue of the afflict- 
ed hath been to many as choice silver ; the 
words of the afflicted many times are both 
pleasing and profitable ; they tickle the ear, 
and they win upon the heart ; they slide insen- 
sibly into the hearers' souls, and work effica- 
ciously upon the hearers' hearts. u The 
words of a wise man's mouth are gracious," 
(or grace, as the Hebrew hath it, and so Hie- 
rom reads it,) Eccl. x. 12. The words of 
the mouth of the wise man are grace. They 
minister grace to others, and they win grace 
and favor from others ; gracious lips make 
gracious hearts ; gracious words are a grace, 
an ornament to the speaker ; and they are a 
comfort, a delight, and an advantage to the 
hearer. 

Now, the words of a man's mouth are nev- 
er more gracious than when he is most afflict- 
ed and distressed. Now you shall find most 
worth and weight in his words. Now his mouth 
speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of 
judgment, for the law of the Lord is in his 
heart, Psa. xxxvii. 31. Now his tongue is 
a tree of life, whose leaves are medicinal, Prov. 
xii. 18. As the silver trumpets sounded joy 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 53 

to the Jews in the day of their gladness, 
Numb. x. 10, so the mouth of a wise man, 
iike a silver trumpet, sounds joy and advantage 
to others in the days of his sadness. 

The heathen could say, When a wise man 
speaketh, he openeth the rich treasures and 
wardrobe of his mind : — so may I say, When 
an afflicted saint speaks, oh ! the pearls, the 
treasures that he scatters ! But, 

5. A holy, a prudent silence doth not ex- 
clude moderate mourning, or weeping, under 
the afflicting hand of God. u And Hezekiah 
wept sore ;" or as the Hebrew hath it, " wept 
with great weeping," Isa. xxxviii. 3. But 
was not the Lord displeased with him for his 
great weeping? No: U I have heard thy 
prayer, I have seen thy tears : behold, I will 
add unto thy days fifteen years," ver. 5. God 
had a bottle for his tears as well as a bag for 
his sins. There is no water so sweet as the 
saints' tears, when they do not overflow the 
banks of moderation. Tears are not mutes; 
they have a voice, and their oratory is of great 
prevalency with the Almighty God. And, 
therefore, the weeping prophet calleth out for 
tears. " Their heart crieth unto the Lord, O 
wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down 
like a river day and night ; give thyself no rest, 
let not the apple of thine eye cease," Lam. ii. 
18. Upon which words, saith Bellarmine, 
" Cry aloud, not with thy tongue, but with 



54 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

thine eyes ; not with thy words, but with thy 
tears ; for that is the prayer that maketh the 
most forcible entry into the ears of the great 
God of heaven. When God strikes, he looks 
that we should tremble ; when his hand is lifted 
high, he looks that our hearts should stoop 
low ; when he hath the rod in his hand, he looks 
that we should have tears in our eyes ; as you 
may see by comparing these scriptures together, 
Psa. lv. 2; xxxviii. 6; Job xxx. 26 — 31. 
Good men w T eep easily, saith the Greek poet ; 
and the better any are, the more inclined to 
weeping, especially under afflictions ; as you 
may see in David, (whose tears, instead of 
gems, were the ornaments of his bed,) Jona- 
than, Job, Ezra, Daniel, &c. How (saith 
one) shall God wipe away my tears in heaven, 
if I shed none on earth ? and how shall I reap 
in joy, if I sow not in tears ? I was born with 
tears, and I shall die with tears ; and why then 
should I live without them in this valley of tears ? 
There is a time to weep, as well as there is 
a time to laugh ; a time to mourn, as well as a 
time to dance, Eccl. iii. 4. The mourning 
garment among the Jews was the black garment, 
and the black garment was the mourning gar- 
ment. " Why go ye mourning ?" Psa. xliii. 
2. The Hebrew word signifies black, u Why 
go in black?" Sometimes christians must 
put off their gay ornaments, and put on their 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 55 

black, their mourning garments, Exod. xxxiii. 
4—6. But, 

6. A gracious, a prudent silence doth not 
exclude sighing, groaning, or even roarings, 
under affliction. A man may sigh, and groan, 
and roar, under the hand of God, and yet be 
silent ; it is not sighing, but muttering ; it is 
not groaning, but grumbling ; it is not roaring, 
but murmuring, that is opposite to holy si- 
lence. You may see much of this by com- 
paring the following scriptures, Lam. i. 4, 11. 
21, 22; Psa. xxxi. 10; Jer. xlv. 3; Exod. 
ii. 24 ; Job xxiii. 2; Psa. vi. 6. " And the 
children of Israel sighed by reason of the bond- 
age," Exod. ii. 23. u Lord, all my desire 
is before thee ; and my groaning is not hid 
from thee," Psa. xxxviii. 9. " By reason 
of the voice of my groaning, my bones cleave 
to my skin," Psa. cii. 5. " And my roarings 
are poured out like the water," Job iii. 24. 
" I am feeble and sore broken ; I have roared 
by reason of the disquietness of my heart," 
Psa. xxxviii. 8. u My God, my God, why 
hast thou forsaken me ? why art thou so far 
from helping me, and from the words of my 
roaring?" Psa. xxii. 1. " When I kept si- 
lence, my bones waxed old, through my roar- 
ing all the day long," Psa, xxxii. 3. He 
roars, but doth not rage ; he roars, but doth 
not repine : when a man is in extremity, na- 
ture prompts him to roar, and the law of grace 



56 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

is not against it ; and though sighing, groaning, 
roaring, cannot deliver a man out of his mis- 
ery, yet they do give some ease to a man 
under his misery. When Solon wept for his 
son's death, one said to him, Weeping will 
not help : he answered, Alas ! therefore do I 
weep, because weeping will not help. So a 
christian many times sighs, because sighing 
will not help ; and he groans, because groan- 
ing will not help ; and he roars, because roar- 
ing will not help. Sometimes the sorrows of 
the saints are so great that all tears are dried 
up, and they can get no ease by weeping ; and, 
therefore, for a little ease they fall a sighing 
and groaning ; and this may be done, and yet 
the heart may be quiet and silent before the 
Lord. Peter wept and sobbed, and yet was 
silent. Sometimes the sighs and groans of a 
saint do, in some sort, tell that which his 
tongue can in no sort utter. But, 

7. A holy, a prudent silence doth not ex- 
clude, nor shut out the use of any just or law- 
ful means, whereby persons may be delivered 
out of their afflictions, 2 Kings v. 10 — 14 ; 
Matt. iv. 6, 7 ; xxii. 4, 5. 8 ; Luke xiv. 
16 — 24 ; Acts xxvii. 24, 25. 31. God would 
not have his people so in love with their afflic- 
tions, as not to use such righteous means as 
may deliver them out of their afflictions. 
" But when they persecute you in this city, 
flee ye into another," Matt. x. 23. When 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 57 

Peter was in prison, the saints thronged to- 
gether to pray, (as the original has it,) Acts 
xii. 12 ; and they were so instant and earnest 
with God in prayer, they did so beseech and 
besiege the Lord, they did so beg at heaven's 
gate, ver. v, that God could have no rest, till, 
by miracles of power and mercy, he had re- 
turned Peter as a bosom-favor to them. 
" And, after that many days were fulfilled, the 
Jews took counsel to kill him ; but their lying 
in wait was known of Saul ; and they watched 
the gates day and night to kill him. Then the 
disciples took him by night, and let him down 
by the wall in a basket," Acts ix. 23 — 25. 
The blood of the saints is precious in God's 
eye, and it should not be vile in their own 
eyes. When Providence opens a door of es- 
cape, there is no reason why the saints should 
set themselves as marks and butts for their 
enemies to shoot at. The apostles desire the 
brethren "to pray for them, that they may be 
delivered from unreasonable men ; for all men 
have not faith," 2 Thess. iii. 1, 2. It is a 
mercy worth seeking, to be delivered out of 
the hands of absurd, villanous, and trouble- 
some men. 

Afflictions are evil in themselves, and we 
may desire and endeavor to be delivered from 
them, James v. 14, 15 ; Isa. xxxviii. 18 — 21. 
Both inward and outward means are to be 
used for our own preservation. Had not 



58 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

Noah built an ark, he had been swept away 
with the flood, though he had been with Nim- 
rod and his crew on the tower of Babel. 

Though we may not trust in means, yet we 
may, and ought to use means ; in the use of 
them, eye that God that can only bless them, 
and you do your work. As a pilot that guides 
the ship hath his hand upon the rudder, and 
his eye on the star that directs him, at the same 
time ; so, when your hand is upon the means, 
let your eye be upon your God, and deliver- 
ance will come. We may tempt God as well 
by neglecting of means, as by trusting in means. 
It is best to use them, and, in the use of them, 
to live above them. Augustine tells of a man, 
that, being fallen into a pit, one passing by 
falls a questioning of him, what he did there, 
and how he came in ? Oh ! saith the poor 
man, ask me not how I came in, but help me, 
and tell me how I may come out. The ap- 
plication is easy. But, 

8. Lastly, A holy, a prudent silence doth 
not exclude a just and sober complaining against 
the authors, contrivers, abettors, or instru- 
ments of our afflictions. " Alexander the 
coppersmith did me much evil : the Lord re- 
ward him according to his works," 2 Tim. iv. 
14. u Of the Jews five times received I forty 
stripes save one," 2 Cor. xi. 24. They in- 
flict, saith Maimonides, no more than forty 
stripes, though he be as strong as Samson ; 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 59 

but, if he be weak, they abate of that number. 
They scourged Paul with the greatest severity, 
in making him suffer so oft the utmost extremity 
of the Jewish law, when they that were weak 
had their punishment mitigated. " Thrice 
was I beaten with rods," ver. 25 ; that is, by 
the Romans, whose custom it was to beat the 
guilty with rods. 

If Pharaoh make Israel groan, Israel may 
make his complaint against Pharaoh to the 
Keeper of Israel, Exod. ii. If the proud and 
blasphemous king of Assyria shall come with 
his mighty army to destroy the people of the 
Lord, Hezekiah may spread his letter of blas- 
phemy before the Lord, Isa. xxxvii. 14 — 20. 
It was the saying of Socrates, that every man, 
in his life, had need of a faithful friend and a 
bitter enemy ; the one to advise him, and the 
other to make him look about him : and this 
Hezekiah found by experience. Though Jo- 
seph's bow abode in strength, and the arms of 
his hands were made strong by the hands of 
the mighty God of Jacob, yet Joseph may 
say, that the archers (or the arrow-masters, as 
the Hebrew hath it) have sorely grieved him, 
and shot at him, and hated him, Gen. xlix. 23, 
24. And David sadly complained of Doeg, 
Psa. lii. Yea, Christ himself (who was the 
most perfect pattern for dumbness and silence, 
under the sorest trials) complains against Judas, 
Pilate, and the rest of his persecutors, Psa. 



(JO THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

Ixix. 20—30, &c. Yea, though God will 
make his people's enemies to be the workmen 
that shall fit them and square them for his build- 
ing, to be gold-smiths to add pearls to their 
crown, to be rods to beat off their dust, scul- 
lions to scour off their rust, fire to purge away 
their dross, and water to cleanse away their filthi- 
ness, fleshliness and earthliness ; yet may they 
point at them, and pour out their complaints to 
God against them, Psa. cxlii. 2 — 7. This truth 
I might make good by above a hundred texts of 
scripture ; but it is time to come to the reasons 
of the point. 

IV. Why must christians be mute and si- 
lent under the greatest afflictions, the saddest 
providences, and sharpest trials that they meet 
with in this world ? I answer, 

Reas. 1. That they may the better hear 
and understand the voice of the rod. As the 
word hath a voice, the Spirit a voice, and 
conscience a voice, so the rod hath a voice. 
Afflictions are the rod of God's anger, the rod 
of his displeasure, and his rod of revenge ; he 
gives a commission to this rod to awaken his 
people, to reform his people, or else to revenge 
the quarrel of his covenant upon them, if they 
will not hear the rod, and kiss the rod, and sit 
mute and silent under the rod. w The Lord's 
voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom 
shall see thy name : hear ye the rod, and who 
hath appointed it," Micah vi. 9. God's rods 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 61 

are not mutes, they are all vocal, they are 
speaking as well as smiting ; every twig hath a 
voice. Ah, soul ! saith one twig, thou sayest 
it smarts ; well, tell me, is it good provoking a 
jealous God, Jer. iv. 18. Ah, soul! saith 
another twig, thou sayest it is bitter, it reach- 
eth to thy heart ; but hath not thine own 
doings procured these things ? Rom. vi. 21. 
Ah, soul ! saith another twig, where is the 
profit, the pleasure, the sweet, that you have 
found in wandering from God ? Hos. iii. 7. 
Ah, soul ! saith another twig, was it not best 
with you, when you were high in your commu- 
nion with God, and when you were humble 
and close in your walking with God ? Micah 
vi. 8. Ah, christian ! saith another twig, wilt 
thou search thy heart, and try thy ways, and 
turn to the Lord thy God ? Lam. iii. 40. Ah, 
soul ! saith another twig, wilt thou die to sin 
more than ever ? Rom. xiv. 7,8; and to the 
world more than ever? Gal. vi. 14; and to 
relations more than ever, and to thyself more 
than ever ? Ah, soul ! saith another twig, wilt 
thou live more to Christ than ever, and cleave 
closer to Christ than ever, and prize Christ 
more than ever and venture further for Christ 
than ever ? Ah, soul ! saith another twig, 
wilt thou love Christ with a more inflamed 
love, and hope in Christ with a more raised 
hope, and depend upon Christ with a greater 
confidence, and wait upon Christ with more 
5* 



62 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

invincible patience ? &c. Now, if the soul be 
not mute and silent under the rod, how is it 
possible that it should ever hear the voice of 
the rod, or that it should ever hearken to the 
voice of every twig of the rod ? The rod hath 
a voice that is in the hands of earthly fathers ; 
but children hear it not, they understand it not, 
till they are hushed and quiet, and brought to 
kiss it, and sit silently under it : no more shall 
we hear or understand the voice of the rod 
that is in our heavenly Father's hand, till we 
come to kiss it, and sit silently under it. But, 
Reas. 2. Gracious souls should be mute 
and silent under their greatest afflictions and 
sharpest trials, that they may difference and 
distinguish themselves from the men of the 
world, who usually fret and fling, mutter or 
murmur, curse and swagger, when they are un- 
der the afflicting hand of God. " And they 
shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hun- 
gry : and it shall come to pass, that when they 
shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and 
curse their king and their God, and look up- 
ward. And they shall look unto the earth ; 
and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of 
anguish ; and they shall be driven to darkness,' 7 
Isa. viii. 21, 22. Ah! how fretful and fro- 
ward, how disturbed and distracted, how mad 
and forlorn, are these poor wretches under the 
rebukes of God ! They look upward and 
downward, this way and that way, on this side 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 63 

and on that, and finding no help, no succor, 
no support, no deliverance, like bedlams, yea, 
like incarnate devils, they fall upon cursing of 
God and their king. " We roar all like bears, 
and mourn sore like doves : we look for judg- 
ment, but there is none ; for salvation, but it 
is far from us," Isa. lix. 11. They express 
their inward vexation and indignation, by roar- 
ing like bears. When bears are robbed of 
their whelps, or taken in a pit, oh how dread- 
fully will they roar and rage, tear and tumble ! * 
So, when wicked persons are fallen into the 
pit of affliction, oh how will they roar, rage, 
tear, and cry out, not of their sins, but of their 
punishment; as Cain, "My punishment is 
greater than I am able to bear ! " " Thy sons 
have fainted, they lie at the head of all the 
streets, as a wild bull in a net : they are full 
of the fury of the Lord, the rebuke of thy 
God," Isa. li. 20. When the huntsman hath 
taken the wild bull in his toil, and so en- 
tangled him that he is not able to wind 
himself out, oh how fierce and furious will he 
be ! how will he spend himself in struggling 
and striving to get out ! Such wild bulls are 
wicked men, when they are taken in the net of 
affliction. 



* The bear, as Aristotle observeth, licketh her whelps 
into form, and loveth them beyond measure, and is most 
fierce, roaring, and raging, when she is robbed of them. 



64 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

It is said of Marcellus, the Roman general, 
that he could not be quiet, neither conquered 
nor conqueror. It is so with wicked men, 
they cannot be quiet, neither full nor fasting, 
neither sick nor well, neither in wealth nor 
want, neither in bonds nor at liberty, neither in 
prosperity nor in adversity. " And Babylon 
shall become heaps, a dwelling-place for drag- 
ons, an astonishment and an hissing, without an 
inhabitant. They shall roar together like lions, 
they shall yell as lions' whelps," Jer. li. 37, 
38. When the lion roars, all the beasts of 
the field tremble ; when the lion roars, many 
creatures, that could outrun him, are so amazed 
and astonished at the terror of his roar, that 
they are not able to stir from the place. Such 
roaring lions are wicked men, when they are 
under the smarting rod. They gnaw their 
tongues for pain, and they blaspheme the God 
of heaven, because of those sores, pains, and 
plagues, that are poured upon them ; and they 
repented not of their deeds, to give him glory, 
Rev. xvi. 10, 11. And, therefore, gracious 
souls have cause to be silent under their sorest 
trials, that they may difference and distinguish 
themselves from wicked men, who are like the 
troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters 
cast up mire and dirt, Isa. Ivii. 20. Ah ! 
what a stir do wicked men make, when they 
are under the afflicting hand of God ! As the 
sea is restless and unquiet when there is no 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD, 65 

storm — it cannot stand still, but hath its flux 
and reflux — so it is much more restless, when, 
by tempest upon tempest, it is made to roar 
and rage, to foam and cast up mire and dirt. 
The raging sea is a fit emblem of a wicked man 
that is under God's afflicting hand. 

Rcas. 3. A third reason why gracious souls 
should be silent and mute, under their sharpest 
trials, is, that they may be conformable to 
Christ their Head, who was dumb and silent, 
under his sorest trials. u He was oppressed, 
and he was afflicted, yet he openeth not his 
mouth : he is brought as a lamb to the slaugh- 
ter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, 
so he opened not his mouth," Isa. liii. 7. 
Christ was tongue-tied under all his sorrows 
and sufferings. " Christ also suffered for us, 
leaving us an example, that ye should follow 
his steps : who did no sin, neither was guile 
found in his mouth : who, when he was reviled, 
reviled not again ; when he suffered, he threat- 
ened not ; but committed himself to him that 
judgeth righteously," 1 Pet. ii. 21 — 23. 
Christ upon the cross has not only read us a 
lecture of patience and silence, but has also set 
us a copy or pattern of both, to be transcribed 
and imitated by us, when we are under the 
smarting rod. It will be our sin and shame, if 
we do not bear up with patience and silence, 
under all our sufferings, considering what an 
admirable copy Christ hath set before us. The 



66 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

Holy Ghost hath set before us the injuries and 
contumelies, the sorrows and sufferings, the 
pains and torments, the sweat and blood of our 
dearest Lord, and his invincible patience and 
admirable silence under all, to encourage us to 
imitate the Captain of our salvation, in patience 
and silence, under all his sufferings. 

Jerom having read the life and death of Hi- 
larion, (one that lived graciously, and died 
comfortably,) folded up the book, saying, Well, 
Hilarion shall be the champion that I will fol- 
low, his good life shall be my example, and 
his good death my precedent. Oh ! howmuch 
more should we all say, We have read how 
Christ hath been afflicted, oppressed, dis- 
tressed, despised, persecuted, &c. and we 
have read how dumb, how tongue-tied, how 
patient, and how silent he hath been under all. 
He shall be the copy w T hich we will write after, 
the pattern which we will walk by, the cham- 
pion which we will follow ! The way to hon- 
or Christ, is, in patience and silence, to be 
like Christ, especially when a smarting rod is 
upon our backs, and a bitter cup put into our 
hands. 

Reas. 4. A fourth reason why the people 
of God should be mute and silent under their 
afflictions, is this, because it is ten thousand 
times a greater judgment and affliction, to be 
given up to a fretful spirit, a froward spirit, a 
muttering or murmuring spirit, under an afflic- 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 6? 

tion, than it is to be afflicted. This is both 
the devil's sin and the devil's punishment. God 
is still afflicting, crossing, and vexing him, and 
he is still fretting, repining, vexing, and rising 
against God. No sin is equal to the devil's 
sin ; no punishment to the devil's punishment. 
A man had better have all the* afflictions of all 
the afflicted, throughout the world, at once 
upon him, than to be given up to a froward 
spirit, to a muttering, murmuring heart, under 
the least affliction. When thou seest a soul 
fretting, vexing, and stamping under the mighty 
hand of God, thou seest one of Satan's first- 
born, one that resembles him to the life. No 
child can be so like the father, much as this 
froward soul is like to the father of lies ; though 
he hath been in chains almost six thousand 
years, yet he hath never lain still one day, nor 
one night, no, not one hour, in all this time ; 
but is still fretting, vexing, tossing, and tum- 
bling, in his chains, like a princely bedlam ; he 
is a lion, not a lamb, a roaring lion, not a sleepy 
lion ; not a lion standing still, but a lion going 
up and down ; he is not satisfied with the prey 
he hath got, but is restless in his designs to 
fill hell with souls. He never wants an apple 
for an Eve, nor a grape for a Noah, nor a 
change of raiment for a Gehazi, nor a wedge of 
gold for an Achan, nor a crown for an Absa- 
lom, nor a bag for a Judas, nor a world for a 
Demas. If you look into one company, there 



68 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

you shall find Satan dishing out his meat to 
every palate ; if you look into another company, 
there you shall find him fitting a last to every 
shoe ; if you look into a third company, there 
you shall find him suiting a garment to every 
back. He is under wrath, and cannot but be 
restless. Here with Jael, he allures with 
milk and murders with a nail ; there, with Joab, 
he embraces with one hand, and stabs with ano- 
ther ; or, with Judas, kisses and betrays ; and 
there, with her of Babylon, he presents a golden 
cup with poison in it ; he cannot be quiet, though 
his bolts be always on ; and the more unquiet 
any are under the rebukes of God, the more 
such resemble Satan to the life, whose whole 
life is filled up with vexing and fretting against 
the Lord. Let not any think, saith Luther, 
that the devil is now dead, no, nor yet asleep ; 
for as He that keepeth Israel, so he that ha- 
teth Israel, neither slumbereth nor sleepeth. 
But, in the next place, 

Reas. 5. A fifth reason why gracious souls 
should be mute and silent, under the greatest 
afflictions and sharpest trials that befall them, 
is this, because a holy, a prudent silence under 
afflictions, doth best capacitate and fit the afflict- 
ed for the receipt of mercies. When the 
rolling bottle lies still, you may pour into it 
your sweetest, or your strongest waters ; when 
the rolling, tumbling soul, lies still, then God 
can best pour into it the sweet waters of mercy > 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 69 

and the strong waters of Divine consolation. 
You read of the peaceable fruits of righteous- 
ness. "Now no chastening for the present 
seemeth to be joyous, but grievous : never- 
theless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruits 
of righteousness unto them which are exercised 
thereby," Heb. xii. 11. "And the fruit of 
righteousness is sown in peace of them that 
make peace," James iii. 18. The still and 
quiet soul is like a ship that lies still and quiet 
in the harbor ; you may take in what goods, 
what commodities you please, whilst the ship 
lies quiet and still ; so when the soul is quiet 
and still, under the hand of God, it is most fit 
to take in much of God, of Christ, of heaven, 
of the promises, of the ordinances, and of the 
love of God, the smiles of God, the commu- 
nications and the counsel of God ; but when 
souls are unquiet, they are like a ship in a 
storm, they can take in nothing. 

Luther saith, God doth not dwell in Baby- 
lon, but in Salem. Babylon signifies confu- 
sion, and Salem signifies peace. Now, God 
dwells not in spirits that are unquiet, and in 
confusion ; but he dwells in peaceable and 
quiet spirits. Unquiet spirits can take in 
neither counsel nor comfort, grace nor peace, 
&c. " My soul refused to be comforted," 
Psa. lxxvii. 2. The froward patient will take 
down no cordials ; he hath no eye to see, nor 
hand to take, nor palate to relish, nor stomach 
6 



70 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

to digest any thing, that makes for his health 
and welfare : when a sick man is impatient, 
nothing will go down, the sweetest music can 
make no melody in his ears. " Wherefore 
say unto the children of Israel, I am the Lord, 
and I will bring you out from under the bur- 
dens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out 
of their bondage, and I will redeem you with 
a stretched-out arm, and with great judgments : 
and I will take you to me for a people, and I 
will be to you a God : and ye shall know that 
I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you 
out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 
And I will bring you in unto the land, con- 
cerning the which I did swear to give it to 
Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob ; and I will 
give it you for an heritage : I am the Lord," 
Exod. vi. 6 — 8. The choicest cordials and 
comforts that heaven or earth could afford, are 
here held forth to them, but they have no 
hand to receive them. Here Moses's lips 
drop honey-combs, but they can taste no 
sweetness in them ; here the best of earth and 
the best of heaven is set before them, but their 
souls are shut up, and nothing will go down ; 
here is such ravishing music of paradise, as 
might abundantly delight their hearts, and please 
their ears, but they cannot hear ; here are soul- 
enlivening, soul-supporting, soul-strengthening, 
soul-comforting, soul-raising, and soul-refresh- 
ing words, but they cannot hearken to them. 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 71 

"And Moses spake so unto the children of 
Israel, but they hearkened not unto Moses, for 
anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage," ver. 
9. They were under their anguish, feverish 
fits, and so could neither hear nor see, taste 
nor take in any thing that might be a mercy 
or a comfort to them ; they were sick of im- 
patience and discontent. And these humors 
being grown strong, nothing would take with 
them, nothing would agree with them. When 
persons are under strong pangs of passion, 
they have no ears, either for reason or religion. 
Reas. 6. A sixth reason w T hy gracious souls 
should be silent under the smarting rod, is this, 
namely, because it is fruitless, it is bootless to 
strive, to contest or contend with God. No 
man hath ever got any thing by muttering or 
murmuring under the hand of God, except it 
hath been more frowns, blows, and wounds. 
Such as will not lie quiet and still, when mercy 
hath tied them with silken cords, justice will 
put them in iron chains ; if golden fetters will 
not hold you, iron shall. If bedlamites will 
not lie quiet, they are put into darker rooms, 
and heavier chains are put upon them. If 
Jonah will vex, and fret, and fling, justice will 
fling him overboard, to cool him, and quell 
him ; and keep him prisoner in the whale's 
belly, till his spirit be made quiet before the 
Lord. u Do they provoke me to anger? 
saith the Lord : do they not provoke themselves 



7? THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

to the confusion of their own faces ?" Jer. vii. 
19. By provoking of me, they do but pro- 
voke themselves ; by angering me, they do but 
anger themselves ; by vexing me, they do but 
fret and vex themselves. "Do we provoke 
the Lord to jealousy ? are we stronger than 
he ? " 1 Cor. x. 22. 

Though God be stronger than we, yet there 
are those who provoke him to wrath ; and cer- 
tainly there are none that do more to provoke 
him, than those who fume and fret when his 
hand is upon them. Though the cup be 
bitter, yet it is put into your hand by your 
Father; though the cross be heavy, yet he 
that hath laid it on your shoulders will bear 
the heaviest end of it himself; and why then 
should you mutter ? Shall bears and lions take 
blows and knocks from their keepers, and wilt 
thou not take a few blows and knocks from the 
Keeper of Israel ? Why should the clay con- 
tend with the potter, or the creature with his 
Creator, or the servant w T ith his lord, or weak- 
ness with strength, or a poor nothing creature 
with an omnipotent God ? Can stubble stand be- 
fore the fire ? can chaff abide the whirlwind ? 
or can a worm ward off the blow of the Al- 
mighty ? A froward and impatient spirit under 
the hand of God will but add chain to chain, 
cross to cross, yoke to yoke, and burden to 
burden. The more men tumble and toss in 
their feverish fits, the more they strengthen 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 73 

their distemper, and the longer it will be before 
the cure be effected. The easiest and the 
surest way of cure, is to lie still and quiet, 
where patience hath its perfect work, there the 
cure will be certain and easy ; when a man hath 
his broken leg set, he lies still and quiet, and 
so his cure is easily and speedily wrought ; 
but when a horse's leg is set, he frets and 
flings, he flounces and flies out, unjointing it 
again and again, and so his cure is the more 
difficult and tedious. Such christians that, 
under the hand of God, are like the horse or 
mule, fretting and flinging, will but add to their 
own sorrows and sufferings, and put the day of 
their deliverance further off. 

Reas. 7. A seventh reason why christians 
should be mute and silent under their afflic- 
tions, is, because hereby they shall cross and 
frustrate Satan's great design and expectation. 
In all the afflictions he brought upon Job, his 
design was not so much to make Job a beggar, 
as it was to make him a blasphemer ; it was 
not so much to make Job outwardly miserable, 
as it was to make Job inwardly miserable, by 
occasioning him to mutter and murmur against 
the righteous hand of God, that so he might 
have had some matter of accusation against him 
to the Lord. He is the unwearied accuser of 
the brethren : " The accuser of the brethren is 
cast down, which accuseth them before our 
God day and night," Rev. xii. 10. Satan is 
6* 



74 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

the great make-hate between God and his chil- 
dren ; he hath a mint constantly going in hell, 
where, as an untired mint-master, he is still 
coining and hammering out accusations against 
the saints. First, he tempts and allures souls 
to sin, and then accuses them of those very- 
sins he hath tempted them to, that so he may- 
disgrace them before God, and bring them, if 
it were possible, out of favor with God ; though 
he knows beforehand, that God and his people 
are, by the bond of the covenant, and by the 
blood of the Redeemer, so closely united, that 
they can never be severed. Could he but have 
made Job fro ward or fretful under the rod, he 
would have quickly carried the tidings to heav- 
en, and asked God whether this was becoming 
such a person of whom He had given such a 
glorious character. Satan knows that there is 
more evil in the least sin, than there is in all 
the afflictions that can be inflicted upon a person. 
If he could have made Job a mutineer, he 
would quickly have pleaded for martial law to 
have been executed upon him. That devil 
that accused God to man, Gen. iii. and Christ 
to be an impostor, will not fail to accuse the 
saints when they miscarry under the rod. The 
best way to outwit the devil, is to be silent 
under the hand of God ; he that mutters is 
foiled by him ; but he that is mute overcomes 
him ; and to conquer a devil, is more than to 
conquer a world. 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 75 

Reas. 8. The eighth and last reason why 
christians should be silent and mute under their 
sorest trials, is this, that they maybe conform- 
able to those noble patterns that are set before 
them by other saints, who have been patient 
and silent under the smarting rod ; as Aaron, 
Lev, x. 3; Eli, 1 Sam. iii. 18; David, 2 
Sam. xvi. 7 — 13 ; Job, chap. i. 21, 22 ; Elia- 
kim, Shebna, and Joah, Isa. xxxvi. 11, 12. 
So those saints in Acts xxi. 12 — 14, and 
that cloud of witnesses pointed at in Heb. xii. 
1. Gracious examples are more awakening, 
more convincing, more provoking, and more 
encouraging, than precepts, because in them 
we see that the exercise of grace and godliness 
is possible, though it be difficult. When we 
see christians that are subject to like infirmities 
with ourselves, mute and silent under the afflict- 
ing hand of God, we see that it is possible 
that we may attain to the same noble temper of 
being tongue-tied under a smarting rod. Cer- 
tainly it is our greatest honor and glory in this 
world, to be eyeing and imitating the highest and 
worthiest examples. What Plutarch said of 
Demosthenes, that he was excellent at praising 
the worthy acts of his ancestors, but not so at 
imitating them, may be said of many in these 
days. They are very forward and excellent 
at praising the patience of Job, but not at imi- 
tating it ; at praising the silence of Aaron, but 
not at imitating it; at praising David's dumb- 



76 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

ness, but not at imitating it ; at praising Eli's 
muteness, but not at imitating it. It was the 
height of Cesar's glory to walk in the steps of 
Alexander ; and of Selymus, a Turkish em- 
peror, to walk in Cesar's steps ; and of Them- 
istocles, to walk in the steps of Miltiades. Oh ! 
how much more should we account it our highest 
glory to imitate the examples of those worthies, 
of whom this world is not worthy ! It speaks 
much of God within, when men are striving to 
write after the fairest copies. And thus much 
for the reasons of the point. I come now to 
the application. 

You see, beloved, by what has been said, 
That it is the great duty and concernment of 
christians, to be mute and silent under the 
greatest afflictions, the saddest providences, 
and the sharpest trials, that they may meet with 
in this world. 

If this be so, then this truth looks sadly upon 
several sorts of persons. As, 

1. This looks sadly upon murmurers, upon 
such as do nothing but mutter and murmur 
under the afflicting hand of God. This was 
Israel's sin of old, Exod. xvi. 6 — 9 ; Numb, 
xiv. 27. 29; chap. xvii. 5. 10; Exod. xv. 
24 ; Deut. i. 27 ; Psa. cvi. 25 ; and this is 
our sin at this day. Ah ! what murmuring is 
there against God, against instruments, and 
against providences, to be found amongst us ! 
Some murmur at what they have lost, others 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 77 

murmur at what they fear they shall lose ; some 
murmur that they are no higher, others mur- 
mur because they are so low ; some murmur 
because such a party rules, and others murmur 
because themselves are not in the saddle ; some 
murmur because their mercies are not so many 
as others ; and others murmur because their 
mercies are not as others are ; some murmur be- 
cause they are afflicted, and others murmur be- 
cause such and such are not afflicted as well as 
they. Hadst thou no more sins upon thee, per- 
haps thy murmuring were enough to undo thee, 
did not God exercise much pity and compassion 
toward thee. 

2. This truth looks sadly upon those that 
fret, chafe, and vex, when they are under the 
afflicting hand of God. Many, when they 
feel the rod smart, ah, how do they fret and 
fume! "When they are hardly bestead and 
hungry, they fret themselves, and curse their 
king and their God," Isa. viii. 21. "The 
foolishness of man perverteth his way; and his 
heart fretteth against the Lord," Prov. xix. 3. 
The heart may be fretful and froward, when 
the tongue doth not blaspheme. Folly brings 
man into misery, and misery makes man to 
fret, 2 Kings vi. 33; Psa. xxxvii. 1. 7, 8. 
Man in misery is more apt to fret and chafe 
against the Lord, than to fret and chafe against 
his sin that hath brought him into sufferings. 
A fretful soul dares attack God himself. 



78 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

When Pharoah is troubled and frets, he dare 
fly in the very face of God himself: " Who 
is the Lord that I should obey him ?" And 
when Jonah is in a fretting humor, he dares 
tell God to his face, that he doth well to be 
angry, Jonah, iv. 8, 9. Jonah had done well, 
if he had been angry with his sin ; but he did 
very ill to be angry with his God. God will 
vex every vein in that man ? s heart, before he 
hath done with him, who fumes and frets, be- 
cause he cannot snap asunder the cords with 
which he is bound, Ezek. xvi. 43. Some- 
times good men are sick of the frets ; but 
when they are, it costs them dear, as Job and 
Jonah found by experience. No man hath 
ever got any thing by his fretting and flinging, 
except it hath been harder blows, or heavier 
chains ; therefore fret not when God strikes. 

3. This truth looks sadly upon those who 
charge God foolishly in the day of their ad- 
versity : u Why doth a living man complain ?" 
Lam. hi. 39. He that hath deserved a hang- 
ing, hath no reason to charge the judge with 
cruelty, if he escape with a whipping ; and we 
that have deserved condemnation, have no 
reason to charge God for being too severe, if 
we escape with a fatherly lashing. Rather than 
a man will take the blame, and quietly bear the 
shame of his own folly, he will put it off upon 
God himself, Gen. hi. 12. It is a very evil 
thing, when we accuse God, hat we mav ex- 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 79 

cuse ourselves, and lay the fault any where 
rather than upon our own hearts and w T ays. 
Job was a man of a more noble spirit: " In 
all this Job sinned not, nor charged God 
foolishly," Job. i. 22. When God charges 
many men home, then they presently charge 
God foolishly, they put him to bear the brunt 
and blame of all ; but this will be bitterness in 
the end. When thou art under affliction, thou 
mayst humbly tell God, that thou feelest his 
hand heavy ; but thou must not blame him 
because his hand is heavy. No man hath 
ever been able to make good a charge 
against God ; and wilt thou be able ? Surely 
no. By charging God foolishly in the day of 
thy calamity, thou dost but provoke the Lord 
to charge thee through and through, more 
fiercely and furiously, with his most deadly- 
darts of renewed misery. It is thy greatest 
wisdom to blame thy sins, and lay thy hand 
upon thy mouth; for why should folly charge 
innocence ? That man is far enough off from 
being mute and silent under the hand of God, 
who dares charge God himself for laying his 
hand upon him. But, 

4. This truth looks sadly upon such as will 
not be silent nor satisfied under the afflicting 
hand of God, except the Lord will give them 
the particular reasons why he lays his hand 
upon thern. Good men sometimes dash their 
feet against this stumbling stone. " Why is 



80 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable ?" 
Jer. xv. 18. Though God hath always rea- 
son for what he doth, yet he is not bound to 
show us the reasons of his doings. Jeremiah's 
passion was up, his blood was hot, and now 
nothing will silence or satisfy him, but the 
reasons why his pain was perpetual, and his 
wound incurable. So Job, chap. vii. 20. 
"Why hast thou set me as a mark against 
thee, so that I am a burden to myself?" It is 
an evil and a dangerous thing to cavil at, or to 
question, his proceedings, Rom. ix. 20 ; Dan. 
iv. 34, 35, who is the chief Lord of all, and 
who may do with his own what he pleaseth. 
He is unaccountable and uncontrollable ; and 
therefore who shall say, What dost thou ? As 
no man may question his right to afflict him, 
nor his righteousness in afflicting him ; so no 
man may question the reasons why he afflicts 
him. As no man can compel him to give a 
reason of his doings, so no man may dare to 
ask him the particular reasons of his doings. 
Kings think themselves not bound to give their 
subjects a reason for their doings, Eccl. viii. 
4 ; and shall we bind God to give us a reason 
of his doings, who is King of kings and Lord 
of lords, and whose will is the true reason and 
only rule of justice ? The general grounds 
and reasons that God hath laid down in his 
word, why he afflicts his people, as, namely, 
for their profit, Heb, xii. 10, for the purging 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 81 

away of their sins, Isa. i. 25, for the reform- 
ing of their lives, Ps. cxix. 67, 71, and for 
the saving of their souls, 1 Cor. xi. 32, should 
work them to be silent, and satisfied under all 
their afflictions ; though God should never 
satisfy their curiosity in giving them an account 
of some more hidden causes, which may lie 
secret in the abyss of his eternal knowledge 
and infallible will. Curiosity is the spiritual 
drunkenness of the soul ; and as the drunkard 
will never be satisfied, be the cup ever so 
deep, unless he sees the bottom of it ; so some 
curious christians, whose souls are overspread 
with the leprosy of curiosity, will never be 
satisfied till they come to see the bottom, and 
the most secret reasons of all God's dealings 
towards them ; but they are the greatest fools, 
who affect to know more than God would have 
them. Did not Adam's curiosity render him 
and his posterity fools ? As a man by gazing 
and prying into the body of the sun, may grow 
dark and dim, and see less than otherwise he 
might ; so many by a curious prying into the 
secret reasons of God's dealings with them, 
come to grow so dark and dim, that they 
cannot see those plain reasons which God hath 
laid down in his word, why he afflicts and tries 
the children of men. 

I have read of one Sir William Champney, 
(in the reign of King Henry III.) once living 
in Tower-street, London, who was the first 
7 



82 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

man that ever built a turret on the top of his 
house, that he might the better overlook all 
his neighbors ; but so it fell out, that, not long 
after, he was struck blind ; so that he who 
could not be satisfied to see as others did see, 
but would needs see more than others, saw 
just nothing at all, through the just judgment 
of God upon him. And so it is a just and 
righteous thing with God to strike such with 
spiritual blindness, who will not be satisfied 
with seeing the reasons laid down in the word 
why he afflicts them, but they must be curiously 
prying and searching into the hidden and more 
secret reasons of his severity towards them. 
Ah, christians, it is your wisdom and duty to 
sit silent and mute under the afflicting hand of 
God, upon the account of revealed reasons, 
without making any curious inquiry into those 
more secret reasons, that are locked up in the 
golden cabinet of God's own breast, Deut. 
xxix. 29. 

5. This truth looks sadly upon those who, 
instead of being silent and mute under their 
afflictions, use sinful ways to get out of their 
troubles ; who care not though they break with 
God, with men, and with their own conscien- 
ces, so that they may but break off the chains 
that are upon them ; who care not by what 
means the prison door is opened, so they may' 
but escape ; nor by what hands their bolts are 
knocked off, so they may be at liberty. 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 83 

u Take heed, regard not iniquity ; for this 
hast thou chosen rather than affliction," Job 
xxxvi. 21. He makes but an ill choice who 
chooses sin rather than suffering ; and yet, 
such an ill choice good men have sometimes 
made, when troubles have compassed them 
round about. Though no lion roars like that 
in a man's own bosom, conscience ; yet some, to 
deliver themselves from troubles without, have 
set that lion a roaring within ; some to deliver 
themselves from outward tortures, have put 
themselves under inward torments. He pur- 
chases his freedom from affliction at too dear 
a rate, who buys it with the loss of a good 
name, or a good conscience. 

Now, because there is even in good men 
sometimes too great an aptness and proneness 
to sin, and shift themselves out of afflictions, 
when they should rather be mute and silent 
under them, give me leave to lay down these 
considerations to prevent it. 

(1.) Consider, that there is infinitely more 
evil in the least sin, Jam. iii. 5 — 10, than there 
is in the greatest miseries and afflictions that 
can possibly come upon you ; yea, there is 
more evil in the least sin, than there is in all 
the troubles that ever came upon the world, 
Prov. viii. 36 ; 1 John iii. 4 ; Rev. xxi. 8 ; 
yea, than there is in all the miseries and tor- 
ments of hell. The least sin is an offence to 
the great God, it is wrong to the immortal 



84 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

soul. It is a breach of a righteous law, it can- 
not be washed away but by the blood of Jesus, 
it can shut the soul out of heaven, and shut the 
soul up a close prisoner in hell for ever and 
ever. If you consider sin strictly, there can- 
not be any little sin, no more than there can be 
a little God, a little hell, or a little damnation ; 
yet, comparatively, some sins may be said to 
be little. The least sin is rather to be avoided 
and prevented, than the greatest sufferings. If 
this cockatrice be not crushed in the egg, it 
will soon become a serpent, the very thought 
of sin, if indulged in, will break forth into ac- 
tion, action into custom, custom into habit, and 
then both body and soul are lost irrecoverably, 
to all eternity. The least sin is very dan- 
gerous. The least spark may consume the 
greatest house, and the least leak sink the great- 
est ship. A little postern opened may betray 
the greatest city. A dram of poison diffuseth 
itself to all parts, till it strangle the vital spirits, 
and turn out the soul from the body. If the 
serpent can but wriggle in by an evil thought, 
he will soon make surprisal of the soul ; as you 
see in that great instance of Adam and Eve. 
The trees of the forest, saith one in a parable, 
held a solemn parliament, wherein they con- 
sulted of the innumerable wrongs which the axe 
had done them ; therefore they made an act, that 
no tree should hereafter lend the axe a helve, on 
pain of being cut down. The axe travels up 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 85 

and down the forest, begs wood of the cedar, 
oak, ash, elm, even of the poplar; not one 
would lend him a chip. At last he desired so 
much as would serve him to cut down the 
briers and bushes, alleging, that such shrubs 
as they did but suck away the juice of the 
ground, and hinder the growth and obscure the 
glory of the fair and goodly trees. Hereupon 
they were all content to afford him so much : 
he pretends a thorough reformation, but, be- 
hold a sad deformation ; for when he had got 
his helve, down went both cedar, oak, ash, 
elm, and all that stood in his way. Such are 
the subtle reaches of sin, that it will promise 
to remove the briars and bushes of afflictions 
and troubles, that hinder the soul of that juice, 
sweetness, comfort, delight, and content, that 
it might otherwise enjoy. But now yield a 
little to it, and, instead of removing your 
troubles, it will cut down your peace, your 
hopes, your comforts, yea, it will cut down 
your precious souls. What is the breathing 
of a vein to the being let blood in the throat ? 
or a scratch in the hand to a stab at the heart ? 
No more are the greatest afflictions to the least 
sins ; and therefore, christians, never use sin- 
ful shifts to get yourselves out of troubles, but 
rather be mute and silent under them, till the 
Lord shall work out your deliverance from 
them. But, 

(2.) Consider, it is an impossible thing for 

7 # 



86 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

any to sin themselves <out of their troubles. 
Abraham, Job, and Jonah attempted it, but 
could not effect it. The devils have experienced 
this nearly six thousand years ; they had not 
been now in chains could they but have sinned 
themselves out of their chains : could the con- 
demned sin themselves out of everlasting burn- 
ings, Isa. xxxiii. 14, there would have been 
none now roaring, in that devouring, unquencha- 
ble fire ; hell would have no inhabitants could 
they but sin themselves out of it. Ah, chris- 
tians ! devils and condemned spirits shall as 
soon sin themselves out of hell, as you shall be 
able to sin yourselves out of your afflictions. 
Christians, you shall as soon stop the sun from 
running her course, contract the sea in a nut- 
shell, compass the earth with a span, and raise 
the dead at your pleasure, as ever you shall be 
able to sin yourselves out of your sufferings ; 
and, therefore, it is better to be silent and 
quiet under them, than to attempt that which it 
is impossible to accomplish. The second con- 
sideration will receive further confirmation by 
the next particular. 

(3.) As it is an impossible thing, so it is a 
very prejudicial, a very dangerous thing, to at- 
tempt to sin yourselves out of your troubles ; 
for, by attempting to sin yourselves out of one 
trouble, you will sin yourselves into many 
troubles, as Jonah did ; by laboring to sin 
yourselves out of less troubles, you will sin 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 87 

yourselves into greater troubles, as Saul did ; 
and, by endeavoring to sin yourselves from un- 
der outward troubles, you will sin yourselves 
under inward troubles and distresses, which are 
the sorest and saddest of all troubles. Some 
there have been, who, by laboring to sin them- 
selves out of their present sufferings, have 
sinned themselves under such horrors and ter- 
rors of conscience, that they could neither eat, 
nor drink, nor sleep, but have been ready to lay 
violent hands upon themselves. 

Cyprian, in his sermon De lapsis, speaks of 
divers, who, forsaking the faith to avoid suffer- 
ings, were given over to be possessed of evil 
spirits, and died fearfully. Oh, man! thou 
dost not know what deadly sin, what deadly 
temptation, what deadly judgment, what deadly 
stroke, thou mayst fall under, who attemptest 
to sin thyself out of troubles. What is it to 
take Venice, and be hanged at the gates thereof? 
It is better to be silent and mute under thy 
afflictions, than, by using sinful shifts, to sin 
thyself under greater afflictions. 

(4.) Consider, it is a very ignoble and un- 
worthy thing, to go to sin yourselves out of 
your troubles and straits ; it argues a poor, a 
low, a weak, a dastardly, and an effeminate 
spirit, to use base shifts, to shuffle yourselves 
out of your troubles. Men of noble, coura- 
geous, and magnanimous spirits, will disdain 
and scorn it ; as you may see in the three He- 



88 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

brews, Dan. iii. 8-30, and in Daniel, and those 
worthies, in the 11th of the Hebrews, of whom 
this world was not worthy. Jerome writes of 
a brave woman, who, being upon the rack, 
bade her persecutors do their worst, for she 
was resolved to die, rather than lie. And the 
prince of Conde being taken prisoner by Charles 
IX. king of France, and put to his choice, 
whether he would go to mass, or be put to 
death, or suffer perpetual imprisonment, his no- 
ble answer was, That, by God's help, he 
would never choose the first, and, for either of 
the latter, he left it to the king's pleasure and 
God's providence. 

A soul truly noble, will sooner part with all 
than the peace of a good conscience. Thus, 
blessed Hooper desired to be rather discharged 
of his bishopric, than yield to certain cere- 
monies. 

I have read of Marcus Arethusus, an emi- 
nent servant of the Lord in gospel work, who, 
in the time of Constantine, had been the cause 
of overthrowing an idol temple ; but Julian, 
coming to be emperor, commanded the people 
of that place to build it up again. All were 
ready so to do, only he refused it ; whereupon 
his own people, to whom he had preached, fell 
upon him, stript off all his clothes, then abused 
his naked body, and gave it up to children and 
schoolboys to be lanced with their penknives ; 
but, when all this would not do, they caused 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 89 

him to be set in the sun, his naked body- 
anointed all over with honey, that so he might 
be bitten and stung to death by flies and wasps ; 
and all this cruelty they exercised on him, be- 
cause he would not do any thing towards the 
rebuilding of that idol temple, nay, they came 
so far, that, if he would give but one halfpenny 
towards the charge, they would release him ; 
but he refused it with a noble christian disdain, 
though the advancing of one half penny might 
have saved his life. And, in so doing, he did 
but live up to that noble principle that most 
commend, but few practise, namely, That 
christians must choose rather to suffer the 
worst of torments, than to commit the least of 
sins, whereby God should be dishonored, his 
name blasphemed, religion reproached, pro- 
fession scorned, weak saints discouraged, and 
men's consciences wounded, and their souls 
endangered. Now, tell me, christians, is it 
not better to be silent and mute under your 
sorest trials and troubles, than to labor by sin 
to shift yourselves out of them, and so proclaim 
to all the world that you are persons of very 
low, poor, and ignoble spirits ? But, 

(5.) Consider, sinful shifts and means God 
hath always cursed and blasted. Achan's gold- 
en wedge was but a wedge to cleave him, and 
his garment a shroud to shroud him. Ahab pur- 
chases a vineyard with the blood of the owner, 
but presently it was watered with his own blood, 



90 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

according to the word of the Lord. Gehazi 
must needs have a talent of silver, and two 
changes of raiment, and that with a lie. Well, 
he hath them, and he hath with them a leprosy 
that cleaved to him and his seed forever, 2 
Kings v. 20 — 27. With those very hands 
that Judas took money to betray his master, he 
fitted a halter to hang himself. The rich and 
wretched glutton fared delicately, and went 
bravely every day, but the next news you hear 
of him is of his being in hell, crying out for a 
drop, who, when he was on earth, would not 
give a crumb. 

The coal that the eagle carried from the 
altar to her nest, set all on fire. 

Crassus did not long enjoy the fruit of his 
covetousness, for the Parthians taking him, 
poured melted gold down his throat. 

Dionysius did not long enjoy the fruit of his 
sacrilege and tyranny ; for he was glad to 
change his sceptre into a ferula, and turn school- 
master for his maintenance. Ah, christians, 
christians ! is it not far better to sit quiet and 
silent under your afHictions, than to use such 
sinful shifts and means, which God will certainly 
blast and curse ? But, 

(6.) Lastly, consider this, that your very 
attempting to sin and shift yourselves out of 
troubles and afflictions will cost you dear ; * 

* A man may buy any thing too dear, but Christ, 
grace, his own soul, and the gospel. 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 91 

it will cost you many prayers, many tears, many 
sighs, many groans, many terrors, and many 
horrors. Peter by attempting to sin himself 
out of trouble, sins himself into a sea of sor- 
rows ; "He went forth, and wept bitterly," 
Matt, xx vi. 75. 

Were David, Jacob, and Jonah now alive, 
they would tell you that they have found this 
to be a truth in their own experience. Oh, 
christians ! it is far better to be quiet and silent 
under your sufferings, than to pay so dear for 
attempting to sin and shift yourselves out of 
your sufferings. A man will not buy gold too 
dear, and why, then, should he buy himself 
out of troubles at too dear a rate ? 



But now I shall come to that use that I in- 
tend to insist most upon, and that is, a use of 
exhortation. Seeing it is the great duty and 
concernment of christians to be mute and silent 
under the greatest afflictions, the saddest prov- 
idences, and the sharpest trials that they meet 
with in this world, oh ! that I could prevail with 
you, christians, to mind this great duty, and 
to live up, and to live out, this necessary 
truth ; which that I may, give me leave to pro- 
pound some considerations to engage your 
souls to be mute and silent under your greatest 
troubles, and your saddest trials. To that 
purpose, 



92 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

1. Consider the greatness, sovereignty, ma- 
jesty, and dignity of God, and let that move 
thee to silence. u Come, behold the works 
of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in 
the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the 
ends of the earth ; he breaketh the bow, and 
cutteth the spear in sunder; he burnetii the 
chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I 
am God : I will be exalted among the heathen, 
I will be exalted in the earth," Ps. xlvi. 8 — 
18. Who can cast his eye upon the greatness 
of God, the majesty of God, and not sit still 
before him ? " Hold thy peace at the presence 
of the Lord God," Zeph. i. 7. Oh murmur 
not, fret not, but stand mute before him ! Shall 
the child be hushed before his father, the ser- 
vant before his master, the subject before his 
prince, and the guilty person before the judge, 
when he majestically rises off his judgment- 
seat, and composes his countenance into an as- 
pect of terror and severity, that his sentence 
may fall upon the offender with the greater 
dread ? And shall not a christian be quiet be- 
fore that God, that can bathe his sword in 
heaven, and burn the chariots on earth ? Nay, 
shall the sheep be hushed before the wolf, 
birds before the hawk, and all the beasts of the 
field before the lion, and shall not we be hushed 
and quiet before him who is the Lion of the 
tribe of Judah? Rev. v. 5. God is mighty 
in power, and mighty in counsel, and mighty 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 93 

in working, and mighty in punishing; and, 
therefore, be silent before him. Moses, mag- 
nifying his might, saith, " Who is like unto 
thee among the gods?" Now, certainly, this 
epithet should be a mighty motive to work 
souls to that which Habakkuk persuades to, 
"The Lord is in his holy temple, let all the 
earth keep silence before him," chap. ii. 20. 
Oh, my brethren ! shall not the brightness and 
splendor of the majesty of the great God, 
whose sparkling glory and majesty dazzle the 
eyes of angels, and make those princes of glory 
stand mute before him, move you to silence, 
to hold your peace, and lay your hand upon 
your mouth ? Surely yes. But, 

2. Consider that all your afflictions, troubles, 
and trials, shall w T ork for your good. a And 
we know that all things work together for good 
to them that love God," Rom. viii. 28. Why 
then should you fret, fling, and fume, seeing 
God designs your good in all ? Afflictions are 
blessings. Doubtless, Manasseh would not ex- 
change the good he got by his iron chains, for 
all the gold chains that are in the world. The 
bee sucks sweet honey out of the bitterest 
herbs ; so God will, by afflictions, teach his 
children to suck sweet knowledge, sweet obe- 
dience, sweet experience, &c. out of all the 
bitter afflictions and trials he exercises them 
with; that scouring and rubbing which frets 
others, shall make them shine the brighter ; 



94 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

that weight which crushes and keeps others 
under, shall but make them, like the palm-tree, 
grow better and higher ; and that hammer which 
knocks others all in pieces, shall but knock 
them the nearer to Christ the Corner-stone. 
Stars shine brightest in the darkest night, 
torches give the best light when beaten, grapes 
yield most wine when most pressed, spices 
smell sweetest when pounded, vines are the 
better for bleeding, gold looks the brighter for 
scouring, juniper smells sweetest in the fire, 
and camomile the more you tread it, the more 
you spread it. Afflictions are the saints' best 
benefactors. Where afflictions hang heaviest, 
corruptions hang loosest. Grace that is hid in 
nature, as sweet water in rose-leaves, is then 
most fragrant, when the fire of affliction is put 
under to distil it out. Grace shines the brighter 
for scouring, and is most glorious when it is 
most clouded. 

In the sea of afflictions God will make his 
people stand like a rock ; they shall be immov- 
able, and invincible ; and the more the waves of 
afflictions beat upon them, the better they shall 
be, the more they shall thrive in grace and god- 
liness. Now, how should this engage chris- 
tians to be mute and silent under all their trou- 
bles and trials in this world, considering that 
they shall all work for their good*! God 
chastises our carcases, to heal our consciences ; 
he afflicts our bodies to save our souls ; he 
gives us gall and wormwood here, that the 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 95 

pleasures that are at his right hand may be the 
more sweet hereafter ; here he lays us upon a 
bed of thorns, that we may look and long more 
for that easy bed of down in heaven. 

As there is a curse wrapt up in the best 
things he gives the wicked, so there is a bless- 
ing wrapt up in the worst things he brings upon 
his own. As there is a curse wrapt up in a 
wicked man's health, so there is a blessing 
wrapt up in a godly man's sickness. As there 
is a curse wrapt up in a wicked man's strength, 
so there is a blessing wrapt up in a godly man's 
weakness. As there is a curse wrapt up in a 
wicked man's wealth, so there is a blessing wrapt 
up in a godly man's wants. As there is a 
curse wrapt up in a wicked man's honor, so 
there is a blessing wrapt up in a godly man's 
reproach. As there is a curse wrapt up in all 
a wicked man's mercies, so there is a blessing 
wrapt up in all a godly man's crosses, losses, 
and changes ; and why then should he not sit 
mute and silent before the Lord ? But, 

3. Consider, that a holy silence is that ex- 
cellent, precious grace, that lends a hand of 
support to every grace. Silence is the keeper 
of all other virtues ; it lends a hand to faith, to 
hope, to love, to humility, to self-denial, &c. 
A holy silence hath its influence upon all other 
graces ; it causes the rose-buds of grace to 
blossom and bud forth. Silence is a grace 
that keeps a man gracious in all conditions ; in 
every condition silence is the christian's righ 



96 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

hand ; in prosperity, it bears the soul up under 
all the envy, malice, hatred, and censures of 
the world ; in adversity, it bears the soul up 
under all the neglect, scorn, and contempt 
that a christian meets with in the world ; it 
makes every bitter sweet, every burden light, 
and every yoke easy. No man honors God, 
no man justifies God, at so high a rate, as he 
who lays his hand upon his mouth, when the 
rod of God is upon his back. But, 

4. To move you to silence under your 
sorest and your sharpest trials, consider that 
you have deserved greater and heavier afflic- 
tions than those you are under. Hath God 
taken away one mercy ? Thou hast deserved 
to be stript of all. Hath he taken away the 
delight of thine eyes ? He might have taken 
away the delight of thy soul. Art thou under 
outward wants ? Thou hast deserved to be^ 
under outward and inward together. Art thou 
cast upon a sick-bed ? Thou hast deserved a 
bed in hell. Art thou under this ache and 
that pain ? Thou hast deserved to be under 
all aches and pains at once. Hath God chas- 
tised thee with whips ? Thou hast deserved 
to be chastised with scorpions. Art thou fallen 
from the highest pinnacle of honor, to be the 
scorn and contempt of men ? Thou hast de- 
served to be scorned and contemned by God 
and angels. Art thou under a severe whip- 
ping ? Thou hast deserved an utter condem- 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 97 

nation. Ah, christians ! let but your eyes be 
fixed upon your demerits, and your hands will 
be quickly upon your mouths. Whatever is 
less than a final separation from God, whatever 
is less than hell, is mercy ; and therefore you 
have cause to be silent under the smartest 
dealings of God with you. But, 

5. Consider, a quiet, silent spirit is of great 
esteem with God ; God sets the greatest value 
upon persons of a quiet spirit: u But let it be 
the hidden man of the heart, in that which is 
not corruptible ; even the ornament of a meek 
and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God 
of great price," 1 Pet. iii. 4. A quiet spirit 
is a spark of the Divine nature ; it is a ray, a 
beam of glory ; it is a heaven born spirit. No 
man is born with a holy silence in his heart, as 
he is born with a tongue in his mouth. This 
is a flower of paradise, it is a precious gem 
that God makes very great reckoning of. A 
quiet spirit speaks a man most like to God, it 
capacitates a man for communion with God, it 
renders a man most serviceable to God, and 
it obliges a man to most accurate walking with 
God. A meek and quiet spirit is an incorrupti- 
ble ornament, much more valuable than gold. 

There is a natural quietness, which proceeds 
from a good temper and constitution of body. 

There is a moral quietness, which proceeds 
from good education and breeding, from good 
injunctions, instructions, and examples. 
8* 



98 YttE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

There is an artificial quietness. Some have 
an art to imprison their passions, and to lay a 
law of restraint upon their anger and wrath when 
they are all in a flame within; as you may see 
in Cain, Esau, Absalom, and Joab, who for a 
time cast a close cloak over their malice, when 
their hearts were set on fire of hell. 

There is a gracious quietness, which is of 
the spirit's infusion, Gal. v. 22—25. Now 
this quietness of spirit, this spiritual, frame of 
heart, is of great price in the sight of God. 
God values it above the world ; and therefore 
who would not covet it more than the world, 
yea, more than life itself? Certainly, the great 
God sets a great price upon nothing but that 
which is of an invaluable price. What stretch- 
ing, struggling, and striving, is there for those 
things that the great ones of the earth highly 
prize ! Ah, what stretching of wits, interests, 
and consciences is there this day, to gain and 
hold up that which justice will cast down ! 
How much better would it be, if all persons 
would in good earnest struggle and strive, even 
as for life, after a quiet and silent spirit, which 
the great and glorious God sets so great a price 
upon! This is a pearl of greatest price; and 
happy is he that purchases it, though it were 
with the loss of all. But, 

6> Consider that if you sit not silent and 
quiet under your greatest troubles and your 
•sorest trials, you will be found fighters against 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 99 

your own prayers. How often have you 
prayed that the will of God may be done ; yea, 
that it may be done on the earth, as the angels 
do it now in heaven ! When troubles and 
afflictions come upon you, the will of Gpd is 
done, his will is accomplished, why, then, 
should you fret, fling, and fume, and not rather 
quietly lie down in his will, whose will is a 
perfect, just, and righteous will, a wise as well 
as a sovereign will, a holy, immutable, uncon- 
trollable, an omnipotent and eternal will ? Cer- 
tainly, you will but add affliction to affliction, 
by fighting against your own prayers, and by 
fretting and vexing yourselves, when the will 
of God is done. It is sad to see a man fight 
against his friends ; it is sadder to see him 
fight against his relations ; it is saddest of all, 
to see him fight against his prayers. And yet 
this every christian doth, who murmurs and 
mutters when the rod of God is upon him, as 
those do who pray that the will of God may be 
done, and yet when his will is done upon them, 
they are like the troubled sea, when it cannot 
rest, they are still fretting against the Lord. 
Ah, christians ! have you not sins and tempta- 
tions to fight against, and a devil, yea, a whole 
world to fight against ? why then should you be 
found fighting against your own prayers ? But, 
7. Consider, a holy silence, under the 
heaviest burdens, the greatest afflictions, the 
saddest providences and changes, will make all 



100 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

tolerable and easy to a christian. Those bur* 
dens and troubles that will break a froward 
man's back, will not so much as break a silent 
man's sleep; those afflictions that lie as heavy- 
weights upon a murmurer, will lie as light as a 
feather upon a mute christian ; that bed of 
sorrow, which is as a bed of thorns to a fretful 
soul, will be as a bed of down to a silent soul. 
A holy silence unstings every affliction, it 
takes off the weight of every burden, it adds 
sweet to every bitter, it changes dark nights 
into sun-shine days, and terrible storms into 
desirable calms. The smallest sufferings will 
easily vanquish an unquiet spirit ; but a quiet 
spirit will as easily triumph over the greatest 
sufferings. As little mercies are great mercies, 
so great sufferings are but little sufferings in 
the eye of a silent soul. The silent soul never 
complains that his affliction is too great, his 
burden too heavy, his cross too weighty, his 
sufferings too many ; silence makes him victo- 
rious over all. And, therefore, as ever you 
would have heavy afflictions light, and be able 
to bear a burden with ease, labor as for life 
after this holy silence. But, 

8. Consider, that a holy silence under afflic- 
tions will be your best armour of proof against 
those temptations that afflictions may expose 
you to. Times of affliction often prove times 
of great temptation ; and therefore afflictions 
are ealled temptations: u Blessed is the man 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 101 

which endureth temptation ; for when he is 
tried, he shall receive the crown of life," 
James i. 12. The Greek word is to be un- 
derstood of temptations of probation, of afflict- 
ing temptations, and not of temptations of 
suggestion, of seduction ; for they are not to 
be endured, but resisted and abhorred. Now, 
affliction is called temptation, 

(1.) Because, as temptation tries what metal 
a christian is made of, so do afflictions. 

(2.) Because, as Satan usually hath a great 
hand in all the temptations that come upon us, 
so he hath a great hand in all the afflictions 
that befall us ; as you see in the instance 
of Job. 

(3.) Because, as temptations drive to God, 
2 Cor. xii. 7, 8, so do afflictions, Isa. xxvi. 
16; Hos. v. 15. 

(4.) But mainly, because Satan chooses 
times of affliction as the fittest seasons for his 
temptations. When Job was sorely afflicted 
in his estate, children, wife, life, then Satan lets 
fly, and makes his fiercest assaults upon him. 
Now Satan tempts him to entertain hard 
thoughts of God, to distrust, to impatience, to 
murmuring and muttering. As when Israel 
was feeble, faint, and weary, Amalek assaulted 
them, and smote the hindmost of them, Deut. 
xxv. 17, 18, so when christians are most 
afflicted, then usually they are most tempted. 



102 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

Many saints have experienced this when they 
have been upon their sick and dying beds. 

Luther found this by experience, when he 
said, " I am without set upon by all the world ; 
and within, by the devil and all his angels." 
Satan is a coward, and loves to strike us, and 
trample upon us, when afflictions have cast us 
down. When besieged towns, cities, and 
castles, are in great straits and troubles, the be- 
siegers make their fiercest assaults ; so when 
christians are under the greatest straits and 
trials, then Satan assaults them most, like a 
roaring lion. Now silence under afflictions is 
the best antidote and preservative against all 
those temptations that afflictions lay us open 
to. Silence under afflictions is a christian's 
armour of proof; it is that shield, that no spear 
or dart of temptation can pierce. Whilst a 
christian lies quiet under the rod, he is safe. 
Satan may tempt him, but he will not conquer 
him ; he may assault him, but he cannot van- 
quish him. Satan may entice him to use sin- 
ful shifts, to get out of trouble ; but he will 
choose rather to lie, yea, die in trouble, then 
to get out upon Satan's terms. But, 

9. Consider, that holy silence under afflic- 
tions and trials will give a man a quiet and 
peaceable possession of his own soul; " In 
patience possess your souls," Luke xxi. 19. 
Now, next to the possession of God, the pos- 
session of a man's own soul is the greatest 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 103 

mercy in this world. A man may possess 
honors and riches, and dear relations, and the 
favor and assistance of friends under his trials ; 
but he will never come to a possession of his 
own soul under his troubles, till he comes to 
be mute, and to lay his hand upon his mouth. 
Now, what are all earthly possessions to the 
possession of a man's own soul ? He that pos- 
sesses himself, possesses all ; he that possesses 
not himself, possesses nothing at all ; he pos- 
sesses not the use, the sweet, the comfort, the 
good, the blessing, of any thing he enjoys, who 
enjoys not himself. That man who is not 
master of himself, is master of nothing. Holy 
silence gives a man the greatest mastery over 
his own spirit ; and mastery over a man's own 
spirit is the greatest mastery in the world, Prov. 
xvi. 32. A holy silence will give a man such 
a quiet possession of his own soul, that all the 
storms of affliction shall not move him ; it will 
make him stand like a rock in the sea of 
troubles. Let a man but quietly possess him- 
self, and troubles will never trouble him. But, 
10. Consider the commands and injunctions 
that God in his w r ord hath laid upon you to be 
silent, to be mute and quiet under all the 
troubles, trials, and changes, that have passed 
or may pass upon you. " Be silent, O all 
flesh, before the Lord : for he is raised up out 
of his holy habitation," Zech. ii. 13. " Keep 
silence before me, O islands," Isa. xli. 1. 



104 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

u The Lord is in his holy temple ; let all the 
earth keep silence before him," Hab. ii. 20. 
" Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in 
that time, for it is an evil time," Amos v. 13. 
" Be still, and know that I am God," Ps* 
xlvi. 10. u Commune with your heart, and 
be still," Ps. iv. 4. " Stand still, and see 
the salvation of God," Exod. xiv. 13. " Stand 
ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with 
you, O Judah and Jerusalem," 2 Chron. xx. 
17. " Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still 
and consider the wonderous works of God," 
Job xxxvii. 14. It is a dangerous thing for 
us to neglect one of his commands, who by 
another is able to command us into nothing, 
or into hell, at pleasure ; to act or run cross 
to God's express command, though under pre- 
tence of revelation from God, is as much as 
a man's life is worth ; as you may see in that 
sad story, 1 Kings xiii. 24, &c. Divine 
commands must be put in speedy execution, 
without denying or delaying, without debating 
or disputing the difficulties that may attend our 
subjection to them. God's commands are 
spiritual, holy, just, and good, Rom. vii. 12- — 
14, and therefore to be obeyed without mut- 
tering or murmuring. Divine commands are 
backed with the strongest reasons, and attended 
with the highest encouragements. Shall the 
servant readily obey the commands of his mas- 
ter, the subject the commands of his prince, 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 105 

the soldier the commands of his general, the 
child the commands of his father, the wife the 
commands of her husband ; and shall not a 
christian as readily obey the commands of his 
Saviour ? Nay, shall vain men readily and 
willingly obey the sinful and senseless commands 
of men ; and shall not we be willing to obey 
the commands of God ? " Now Absalom had 
commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now 
when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and 
when I say unto you, Smite Amnon, then kill 
him, fear not ; have not I commanded you ? 
be courageous, and be valiant. And the ser- 
vants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absa- 
lom had commanded," 2 Sam. xiii. 28, 29. 
They did not hesitate to obey the bloody com- 
mands of Absalom, against all law, reason, and 
religion. 

I have read of one Johannus Abbas, who 
willingly fetched water near two miles every 
day for a whole year together, to pour upon a 
dry stick, upon the bare command of his con- 
fessor. 

I have also read of the old kings of Peru, 
that they were wont to use a tassel or 
fringe made of red wool, which they wore 
upon their heads, and when they sent any gov- 
ernor to rule in any part of their country, they 
delivered unto him one of the threads of the 
tassel, and for one of those simple threads he 
was as much obeyed as if he had been the 
9 



106 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

king himself. Now shall one single thread be 
more forcible to draw infidels to obedience 
than all those golden commands last cited shall 
be to draw you to be quiet and silent under 
the troubles and changes you meet with in this 
world ? The Lord forbid. 

Shall carnal and wicked persons be so ready 
and willing to comply with the bloody and 
senseless commands of their superiors ? and 
shall not christians be more ready and willing 
to comply with the commands of the great 
God, w T hose commands are all just and equal, 
and whose will is the perfect rule of righteous- 
ness ? The chief reason of obedience is the 
authority of the Lord. Ah, christians ! when 
your hearts begin to fret and fume under the 
smarting rod, charge one of those commands 
last cited upon your hearts ; and if they shall 
mutter, charge another of those commands 
upon your hearts ; and if, after this, they shall 
vex and murmur, charge another of those com- 
mands upon your hearts ; and never leave 
charging and rubbing those commands one after 
another upon your hearts, till you are brought 
to lay your hands upon your mouths, and to sit 
silent before the Lord under your greatest 
straits and your sorest trials. 

11. Consider, that mercy is nearest, de- 
liverance and salvation is at hand, when a 
christian stands still, when he sits quiet and si- 
lent under his greatest troubles and his sorest 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 107 

trials, Exod. 14. They were in very great 
straits ; Pharaoh with a mighty army was be- 
hind them, the Red sea before them, moun- 
tains on each hand of them, and no visible means 
to deliver them ; but now they stand still to see 
the salvation of the Lord, Exod. xiv, 13, and 
within a few hours their enemies are destroyed, 
and they are gloriously delivered, ver. 24 — 31. 
David is dumb, he sits mute under his smart 
afflictions, Ps. xxxix; but if you look at Ps. 
xl. 2, 3, you shall find mercy draws near to 
him, and works salvation for him: "He 
brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out 
of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, 
and established my goings. And he hath put 
a new song into my mouth, even praise unto 
our God : many shall see it, and ; fear, and 
shall trust in the Lord." And so when Ab- 
salom had made a great conspiracy against him, 
and his subjects fell off from him, and he was 
forced to fly for his life, his spirit was quiet and 
calm : u And the king said unto Zadok, Carry 
back the ark of God into the city : if I shall 
find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will 
bring me again, and show me both it and his 
habitation. But if he thus say, I have no de- 
light in thee : behold, here am I, let him do to 
me as seemeth good unto him," 2 Sam. xv. 
25, 26. And the same calmness and quiet- 
ness of spirit was upon him, when Shimei 
bitterly cursed him, and railed upon him, chap. 



108 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

xvi. 5 — 14 ; and within a few days, as you 
may see in the two following chapters, the 
conspirators are destroyed, and David's throne 
more firmly established. Mercy is always 
nearest, when a man can in quietness possess 
his own soul; salvation is at hand, when a 
christian comes to lay his hand upon his mouth. 
Mercy will be upon the wing, loving-kindness 
will ride post, to put a period to that man's 
troubles, who sits silent in the day of his sor- 
rows and sufferings. Ah, christians ! as you 
would have mercy near, as you would see to 
the end of your afflictions, as you would have 
deliverance come flying upon the wings of the 
wind, sit mute and silent under all your troubles. 
As wine was then nearest, when the water- 
pots were filled with water, even to the brim ; 
so when the heart is fullest of quietness, then 
is the wine of mercy, the wine of deliverance, 
nearest. 

12. The last motive to work you to silence 
under your greatest trials, is this — Seriously 
consider the heinous and dangerous nature of 
murmuring. Now, that you may, let me pro- 
pose these following particulars to your most 
sober consideration : 

(1.) Consider, that murmuring speaks out 
many a root of bitterness to be strong in the 
soul ; murmuring speaks out sin in its power, 
corruption upon its throne. As holy silence 
argues true grace, much grace, yea, grace in 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 109 

its strength, and in its lively vigor ; so mur- 
muring, muttering under the hand of God, ar- 
gues much sin, yea, a heart full of sin; it speaks 
out a heart full of self-love, Exod. xv. 24; xvi, 
7, 8 ; and full of slavish fears, Numb. xiii. 32, 
33; xiv. 1 — 3; and full of ignorance, John, 
vi. 41, 42. 71 ; and full of pride and unbelief, 
Ps. cvi. 24, 25 ; yea, they despised the 
pleasant land, or the land of desire, there is 
their pride ; they believed not in his word, # 
there is their unbelief; what follows ? They 
murmured in their tents, and hearkened not 
unto the voice of God ; they preferred Egypt 
before Canaan, a wilderness before a paradise. 
As in the first chaos there were the seeds of all 
creatures, so in the murmurer's heart there are 
not only the seeds of all sin, but a lively opera- 
tion of all sin. Sin is become mighty in the 
hearts of murmurers, and none but an almighty 
God can root it out ; those roots of bitterness 
have so spread and strengthened themselves in 
the hearts of murmurers ; Isa. xxvi. 4, that 
everlasting strength must be put forth, or they 
will be undone forever. But, 

(2.) Consider, that the Holy Ghost hath 
set a brand of infamy upon murmurers, he hath 
stigmatized them for ungodly persons, Jude 15, 
16. "To execute judgment upon all, and to 
convince all that are ungodly among them, of 

* Ps. lxviii, 19, 20. Unbelief is virtually all ill. 
9 * 



110 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

all their ungodly deeds which they have ungod- 
ly committed, and of all their hard speeches 
which ungodly sinners have spoken against 
him." But who are these ungodly sinners ? 
They "are murmurers, complainers, walking 
after their own lusts," &c. When Ghrist 
comes to execute judgment upon ungodly ones, 
murmurers shall be set in the front ; they shall 
experience the first of his wrath, and the fierce- 
ness of his wrath, and the greatness of his 
wrath. The front, you know, is first assaulted, 
and most strongly assaulted ; Christ will bend 
all his power and strength against murmurers ; 
his little finger shall be heavier upon them than 
his loins shall be upon others. 1 Kings xii. 
11. 14 ; other sinners shall be chastised with 
whips, but ungodly murmurers shall be chas- 
tised with scorpions. If you can joy in that 
black character of ungodly sinners, be murmur- 
ers still ; if not, cease from murmuring. Where 
murmuring is in its reign, in its dominion, there 
you may speak and write that person ungodly. 
Let murmurers make what profession they will 
of godliness, yet if murmuring keeps the throne 
in their hearts, Christ will deal with them at 
last as ungodly sinners. A man may be de- 
nominated ungodly, as well from his murmur- 
ing, if he lives under the dominion of it, as 
from his drunkenness, swearing, whoring, lying, 
stealing, &c. A murmurer is an ungodly man; 
no man on earth more unlike to God than the 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. Ill 

murmurer ; and therefore no wonder if, when 
Christ comes to execute judgment, he deals so 
severely and terribly with him. In the wars 
of Tamerlane, one having found a great pot of 
gold that was hid in the earth, he brought it to 
Tamerlane, who asked, Whether it had his 
father's stamp upon it ? but when he saw it had 
not his father's stamp, but the Roman stamp 
upon it, he would not own it, but cast it away. 
The Lord Jesus, when he shall come with all 
his saints to execute judgment, oh ! he will not 
own murmurers ; nay, he will cast them away 
forever, because they have not his father's 
stamp upon them. Ah, souls ! souls ! as you 
would not go up and down this world with a 
badge of ungodliness upon you, take heed of 
murmuring. 

(3.) Consider, that murmuring is a mother 
sin ; it is the mother of harlots, the mother of 
all abominations, a sin that breeds many other 
sins, namely, disobedience, contempt, ingrati- 
tude, impatience, distrust, rebellion, cursing, 
carnality ; yea, it charges God with folly, 
Numb. xvi. 41 ; xvii. 10. The language of a 
murmuring, a muttering soul, is this, Surely 
God might have done this sooner, and that 
wiser, and the other thing better, &c. Mur- 
muring is a sin that breeds and brings forth 
many sins at once. It is like the monster Hy- 
dra ; cut off one head, and many will rise up 
in its room. Oh ! therefore, bend all thy 



112 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

strength against this mother sin. As the king 
of Syria said to his captains, " Fight neither 
with small nor great, but with the king of 
Israel," 1 Kings xxii. 31 ; so say I, Fight not 
so much against this sin or that, but fight against 
your murmuring, which is a mother sin ; make 
use of all your christian armor, make use of all 
the ammunition of heaven, Eph. vi. 10, 11, to 
destroy the mother; and in destroying her, 
you will destroy the daughters. When Goliath 
was slain, the Philistines fled ; when a general 
in an army is cut off, the common soldiers are 
easily and quickly routed and destroyed ; so 
destroy but murmuring, and you will quickly 
destroy disobedience, ingratitude, impatience, 
distrust, &c. Oh ! kill this mother sin, that 
this may never kill thy soul. 

(4.) Consider, that murmuring is a God- 
provoking sin ; it is a sin that provokes God, 
Numb. xxvi. 65; xii. 9, 10; Rev. xvi. 9— 
11, not only to afflict, but also to destroy a 
people. u How long shall I bear with this 
evil congregation which murmur against me ? 
I have heard the murmuring of the children of 
Israel, which they murmur against me. Say 
unto them, As truly as I live, saith the Lord, 
as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do 
to you : your carcases shall fall in this wilder- 
ness ; and all that were numbered of you, ac- 
cording to your whole number, from twenty 
years old and upward, which have murmured 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 113 

against me," Numb. xiv. 27 — 29. " Neither 
murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, 
and were destroyed of the destroyer," 1 Cor. 
x. 10. All our murmurings do but provoke 
the Lord to strike us, and destroy us. 

All our murmurings are as so many arrows 
shot at God himself, and they will return upon 
our own hearts ; they reach not him, but they 
will hit us ; they hurt not him, but they will 
wound us ; therefore it is better to be mute 
than to murmur ; it is dangerous to provoke a 
consuming fire, Heb. xii. 29. 

(5.) Consider, that murmuring is the devil's 
image, sin, and punishment. Satan is still 
murmuring ; he murmurs at every mercy that 
God bestows, at every grace he gives, he mur- 
murs at every sin he pardons, and every soul 
he saves. A soul cannot have a good look, 
nor hear a good word from heaven, but Satan 
murmurs at it; he murmurs and mutters at 
every act of pitying grace, of preventing grace, 
of supporting grace, of strengthening grace, 
and of comforting grace, that God exercises 
towards poor souls ; he murmurs at every sip, 
at every drop, at every crumb of mercy that 
God bestows. Murmuring, and envy at man's 
innocencyand felicity, put him upon attempting 
to plunge man into the bottomless gulf of sin 
and misery ; he knowing himself to be damned, 
and lost forever, would needs try all ways how 
to make happy man eternally unhappy. This 



114 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

old serpent was, by sad experience, found to 
have too much power in the heart of Adam 
whilst yet in the height of all his glory and ex- 
cellency. Murmuring is the first-born of the 
devil, and nothing renders a man more like to 
him than murmuring. And as murmuring is 
Satan's sin, so it is his punishment. God hath 
given him up to a murmuring spirit ; nothing 
pleases him, all things go against him ; he is 
perpetually muttering and murmuring at persons 
or things. Now, oh what a dreadful thing it 
is to bear Satan's image upon us, and to be 
given up to the devil's punishment ! It were 
better not to be, than thus to be given up ; and 
therefore cease from murmuring, and sit mute 
under your sorest trials. But, 

(6.) Consider, that murmuring is a mercy- 
imbittering sin, a mercy-souring sin. As to 
put the sweetest things into a sour vessel, 
sours them, or, into a bitter vessel, imbitters 
them ; so murmuring puts gall and wormwood 
into every cup of mercy that God gives into 
our hands. As holy silence gives a sweet 
taste, a delightful relish, to all a man's mercies, 
so murmuring imbitters all ; the murmurer can 
taste no sweetness in his sweetest morsels ; 
every mercy, every morsel, tastes like the white 
of an egg to him, Job vi. 6. A murmurer 
can taste no sweet, he can feel no comfort, he 
can take no delight in any mercy he enjoys. 
The murmurer writes Marah, that is. Bitter- 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 115 

ness, upon all his mercies, and he reads and 
tastes bitterness in them all. All the murmur- 
er's grapes are grapes of gall, and all their clusters 
are bitter, Deut. xxxii. 32. As, to the hungry- 
soul every bitter thing is sweet, so to the mur- 
muring soul every sweet thing is bitter. The 
mute christian can suck sweetness from every 
mercy, but the murmurer cries out, Oh, it is 
bitter ! Oh, it is dry ! 

(7.) Consider, that murmuring is a mercy- 
destroying sin, a mercy-murdering sin ; mur- 
muring cuts the throat of mercy, it stabs all 
our mercies at the heart. " Doubtless, ye 
shall not come into the land concerning which 
I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb 
the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of 
Nun," Numb. xiv. 30. God promises them 
that they should possess the holy land, upon 
condition of their obedience ; this condition 
they brake, and therefore God was not for- 
sworn, though he cut them off in the wilder- 
ness, and kept them out of Canaan, Ps. 
lxxxix. 30—32; Deut. xxxi. 16, 17. But 
what is the sin that provokes the Lord to bar 
them out of the land of promise, and to cut 
them off from all those mercies that they en- 
joyed, which entered into the holy land ? 
Why, it was their murmuring. — As you love 
your mercies, as you would have the sweet of 
your mercies, and as you would enjoy the life 
of your mercies, take heed of murmuring. 



116 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

Murmuring will bring a consumption upon your 
mercies ; it is a worm that will make all your 
mercies to wither. As there are some that 
love their mercies into the grave, and others that 
plot their mercies into the grave, so there are 
some that murmur their mercies into the grave. 
As you would have your mercies always fresh 
and green, smiling, and thriving ; as you would 
have your mercies to bed and board with you, 
to rise up and lie down with you, and in all 
conditions to attend you ; murmur not, mur- 
mur not. The mute christian's mercies are 
most sweet, and most long-lived ; the mur- 
murer's mercies, like Jonah's gourd, will 
quickly wither. Murmuring hath cut the throat 
of national mercies, of domestic mercies, and 
of personal mercies ; and, therefore, oh ! how 
should men fly from it as from a serpent ! as 
from the avenger of blood ! yea, as from hell 
itself! 

(8.) Consider, that murmuring unfits the 
soul for duty. A murmurer can neither hear, 
nor pray, nor read, nor meditate to profit ; the 
murmurer is neither fit to do good nor receive 
good ; murmuring unfits the soul for performing 
duties, for delighting in duties, and for com- 
munion with God in duties. Murmuring fills 
the soul with cares, fears, distractions, and vex- 
ations ; all which unfits a man for duty. As a 
holy quietness and calmness of spirit prompts a 
man to duty, Prov. iii. 17, as it makes every 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 117 

duty easy and pleasant to the soul ; so mur- 
muring unhinges the soul, indisposes the soul, 
and takes off its chariot- wheels, Ps. xl. 12, so 
that the soul cannot look up to God, nor do 
for him, nor receive from him, nor wait on 
him, nor walk w T ith him, nor act faith upon him, 
2 Kings, vi. 33. Oh ! therefore, as ever you 
would be in a blessed preparedness, and a 
blessed fitness for duty, take heed of murmur- 
ing, and sit mute and silent under the afflicting 
hand of God, Isa. xxvi. 9 — 11. 

(9.) Consider, that murmuring unmans a 
man, Isa. v. 18 — 20, it strips him of his 
reason, and understanding ; it makes him call 
evil good, and good evil ; it puts light for 
darkness, and darkness for light; bitter for 
sweet, and sweet for bitter ; it calls saviors de- 
stroyers, and deliverers murderers ; as you see 
in the murmuring Israelites, Exod. xiv. xv. 
xvi. Murmuring uncrowns a man ; the mur- 
murer may say, u The crown is fallen from 
my head," Lam. v. 16. Murmuring strips a 
man of all his glory, it spoils all his excellency, 
it destroys the nobility of man, it speaks him 
out to be a base, ignoble creature. Murmur- 
ing clouds a man's understanding, it perverts 
his judgment, it puts out the eye of reason, it 
stupifies his conscience, it sours the heart, dis- 
orders the will, and distempers the affections ; 
it brutifies a man, yea, it sets him below the 
beasts that perish ; for a man had better be a 
10 



118 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

beast, than be like a beast. The mnrmurer is 
the hieroglyphic of folly ; he is a comprehen- 
sive vanity ; he is sottish and senseless ; he 
neither understands God nor himself, nor any 
thing as he should, Isa. Hi. 8. He is the man 
that must be sent to school, to learn of the 
beasts of the field, and the birds of the air, and 
the creeping things of the earth, Matt, vi., Prov. 
vi., how to cease from murmuring, and how to 
be mute. Ah, sirs ! as you would have the 
name, the honor, and the reputation of being 
men, take heed of murmuring, and sit silent 
before the Lord. 

(10.) Murmuring is a time-destroying sin. 
Ah, the precious time that is buried in the 
grave of murmuring! When the murmurer 
should be praying, he is murmuring against the 
Lord ; when he should be hearing, he is mur- 
muring against Divine providences ; when 
he should be reading, he is murmuring against 
instruments. The murmurer spends much 
precious time in musing how to get out of such 
a trouble, how to cast off such a yoke, how to 
be rid of such a burden, how to revenge him- 
self for such a wrong, how to supplant such a 
person, how to reproach those that are above 
nim, and how to affront those that are below 
him; and a thousand other ways murmurers 
have to expend that precious time that some 
would redeem with a world : as queen Eliza- 
beth on her death-bed cried out, Time, time, 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 119 

a world of wealth for an inch of time ! The 
murmurer lavishly and profusely trifles away 
that precious time that it is his greatest interest 
in this world to redeem, Eph. v. 16 ; Rev. ii. 
21. Every day, every hour in the day, is a 
talent of time, and God expects the improve- 
ment of it, 1 Pet. iv. 2. 5, and will charge 
the non-improvement of it upon you at last. 
Ah. murmurers ! murmurers ! you who by 
your murmuring trifle away so many golden 
hours and seasons of mercy, have you no God 
to honor, have you no Christ to believe in, 
have you no hearts to change, no sins to be 
pardoned, no souls to save, no hell to escape, 
no heaven to seek after ? Oh, if you have, 
why do you spend so much of your precious 
time in murmuring against God, against men, 
against this or that thing ? Eternity rides upon 
the back of time ; this is the moment ; if it be 
well improved, you are made forever ; if not, 
you are undone forever. 

I have read of Archias, a Lacedemonian, 
that whilst he was rioting and quaffing, in the 
midst of his cups, one delivers him a letter 
purposely, to signify that there were some 
that lay in wait to take away his life, and withal 
desires him to read it presently, because it was 
a serious business, and matter of high concern- 
ment to him. Oh! said he, I will think of 
serious things to-morrow; but that night he 
was slain. Ah, murmurer ! cease from mur- 



120 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

muring to-day, or else thou mayst be forever 
undone by murmuring to-morrow. The old 
saying was, Now or never ; so say I, now or 
never give over murmuring, and let it swallow 
up no more of your precious time. What 
would not many a murmurer give for one of 
those days, yea, for one of those hours, which 
he hath trifled away in murmuring, when it is 
a day too late ! Ah, murmurers ! you will 
gain more by one day's faithful serving of God, 
than ever you have gained by murmuring against 
God. But, 

(11.) Consider this, christians, that of all 
men in the world you have least cause, yea, 
no cause to be murmuring and muttering under 
any dispensations that you meet with in this 
world. Is not God thy portion ? Lam. iii. 
24 ; Eph. iii. 8 ; 1 Pet. i. 3, 4. Chrysostom 
propounds this question, "Was Job miserable 
when he had lost all that God had given him ? 
and gives this answer : No ; he had still that 
God who gave him all.'' Is not Christ thy 
treasure ? is not heaven thine inheritance ? and 
wilt thou murmur ? Hast thou not much in 
hand, and more in hope ? hast thou not much 
in possession, but much more in reversion ? 
and wilt thou murmur ? Hath not God given 
thee a changed heart, a renewed nature, and a 
sanctified soul ? and wilt thou murmur ? Hath 
not God given thee himself to satisfy thee ? 
his Son to save thee ? his Spirit to lead thee ;? 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 121 

his grace to adorn thee ? his covenant to assure 
thee ? his mercy to pardon thee ? his righteous- 
ness to clothe thee ? and wilt thou murmur ? 
Hath he not made thee a friend, a son, a brother, 
a bride, an heir ? and wilt thou murmur ? 
Hath not God often turned thy water into 
wine, thy brass into silver, and thy silver into 
gold ? and wilt thou murmur ? When thou 
wast dead, did not he quicken thee ? and when 
thou wast lost, did not he seek thee ? and when 
thou wast wounded, did not he heal thee ? and 
when thou wert falling, did not he support thee ? 
and when thou wert down, did not he raise 
thee ? and when thou wert staggering, did not 
he establish thee ? and when thou wert erring^ 
did not he reduce thee ? and when thou wert 
tempted, did not he succor thee ? and when 
thou wert in dangers, did not he deliver thee ? 
and wilt thou murmur ? What ! thou that art 
so highly advanced and exalted above many 
thousands in the world ? Murmuring is a 
black garment, and it becomes none so ill as 
saints. 

Lastly, Consider, that murmuring makes the 
life of man miserable. Every murmurer is 
his own executioner. Murmuring vexes the 
heart; it wears and tears, enrages and inflames, 
wounds and stabs the heart. Every murmurer 
is a murderer ; he kills many at once, namely, 
his joy, his comfort, his peace, his rest, his 
soul. No man is so inwardly miserable as the 
10* 



122 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

murmurer ; no man hath such inward gripes 
and griefs, such inward bitterness and heavi- 
ness, such inward contentions and combustions 
as he. Every murmurer is his own tormentor ; 
murmuring is a fire within, that will burn up 
all; it is an earthquake within, that will 
overturn all; it is a disease within, that will 
infect all ; it is a poison within, that will prey 
upon all. And thus I have done with those 
motives that may persuade us not to murmur 
or mutter, but to be mute and silent under the 
greatest afflictions, the saddest providences, 
and sharpest trials that we meet with in this 
life. 



I shall now address myself to answer those 
objections, and to remove those impediments, 
which hinder poor souls from being silent and 
mute under the afflicting hand of God, &c. 

Object. 1. " Sir, did I but know that I 
were afflicted in love, I would hold my peace 
under my affliction, I would sit mute before the 
Lord. But oh ! how shall I come to under- 
stand that those strokes are the strokes of love, 
that those wounds are the wounds of a friend ? " 
I answer, 

1 . If thy heart be drawn more out to the 
Lord by the affliction, then the affliction is in 
love ; if it be so sanctified, as that it draws out 
thy soul to love the Lord more, Ps. xviiL 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 123 

1 — 8 ; cxvi. 1 — 5 ; cxix. 67, 71 ; Isa. xxxviii., 
and to fear the Lord more, and to please the 
Lord more, and to cleave to the Lord more, 
and to wait on the Lord more, and to walk 
with the Lord more, then thy affliction is sent 
in love. Oh! then they are the wounds of a 
friend indeed. If the afflictions that are upon 
us do increase our courage, strengthen our 
patience, raise our faith, inflame our love, and 
enliven our hopes, certainly they are in love, 
and all wounds are the wounds of a friend. 
But, 

2. If you are more careful and studious how 
to glorify God in the affliction, Dan. iii. vi., 
and how to be kept from sinning under the 
affliction, than how to get out of the affliction ; 
then certainly your affliction is in love. Where 
God smites in love, there the soul makes it his 
work how to glorify God, and how to lift up 
God, and how to be a name and an honor to 
God. The daily language of such a soul under 
the rod is this, Lord, stand by me that I sin 
not, uphold me that I sin not, strengthen me 
that I sin not, Joshua vii. 7. He that will not 
sin to repair and make up his losses, though 
he knew assuredly that the committing of such 
a sin would make up all again, he may conclude 
that his affliction is in love. 

He that will not break the hedge of a fair 
command, to avoid the foul way of some heavy 
affliction, may well conclude, that his affliction 



124 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

is in love. Christians ! what say you ? do you 
thus bespeak the Lord ? Lord, take care of 
thy glory, and let me rather sink in my afflic- 
tion, than sin under my affliction ! If this be the 
bent and frame of thy heart, it is certain the 
affliction that is upon thee is in love. The 
primitive times afforded many such brave 
spirits, though this age affords but few. 

3. If you enjoy the special presence of God 
with your spirits in your affliction, then your af- 
fliction is in love, Ps. xxiii. 4 — 6. " When 
thou passest through the waters, I will be with 
thee ; and through the rivers, they shall not 
overflow thee ; when thou walkest through the 
fire, thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the 
flame kindle upon thee, ,)# Isa. xliii. 2. 
Hast thou a special presence of God with thy 
spirit, strengthening that, quieting that, satisfy- 
ing that, cheering and comforting that? " In 
the multitude of my thoughts, that is, of my 
troubled, intertwined, and perplexed thoughts, 
(as the branches of a tree by some strong 
wind are twisted one within another, as the 
Hebrew word properly signifies,) u thy com- 
forts delight my soul," Ps. xciv. 19. Here 
is a presence of God with his soul ; here are 
comforts and delights that reach the soul ; here 



* The bush, which was a type of the church, con- 
sumed not all the while it burned with fire, because God 
was in the midst of it. 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 125 

is a cordial to strengthen his spirit. When 
Paul would wish his dear son Timothy the 
best mercy, the greatest, and the most com- 
prehensive mercy in all the world, a mercy 
that carries the virtue, value, and sweetness of 
all mercies in it, he wishes the presence of 
God with his spirit, " The Lord Jesus Christ 
be with thy spirit," 2 Tim. iv. 22. In point 
of honor, of profit and pleasure, of safety and 
security, and of comfort and joy, it is the 
greatest blessing and happiness in this world, 
to have the presence of God with our spirits, 
especially in times of trials: " For which 
cause we faint not ; but though our outward 
man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day 
by day," 2 Cor. iv. 16. By the outward 
man you are to understand, not merely our 
bodies, but our persons, estates, and outward 
condition in this world ; and by the inward 
man you are to understand, our souls, our 
persons, considered according to our spiritual 
estate. Now, when the inward man gains new 
strength by every new trouble, when as troubles, 
pressures, afflictions, and tribulations are in- 
creased, a christian's inward strength is in- 
creased also, then his afflictions are in love ; 
when the presence of God is with our in- 
ward man, cheering, comforting, encouraging, 
strengthening, and renewing that, we may 
safely conclude, that all these trials, though 
they are ever so sharp and smart, yet they are 
in love. 



126 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

I have read of a company of poor christians 
that were banished into some remote parts ; 
and one standing by seeing them pass along, 
said, That it was a very sad condition those 
poor people were in, to be thus hurried from 
the society of men, and to be made companions 
with the beasts of the field. True, said 
another, it were a sad condition indeed, if they 
were carried to a place where they should not 
find their God ; but let them be of good cheer, 
God goes along with them, and will exhibit 
the comforts of his presence whithersoever 
they go. The presence of God with the spirits 
of his people is a breast of comfort that can 
never be drawn dry ; it is an everlasting spring 
that will never fail. Well, christian, thou art 
under many great troubles, Heb. xiii. 5, 6, 
many sore trials, Isa. xl. 29 — 31 ; but tell me, 
doth not God give into thy soul such cordials, 
such supports, comforts and refreshments, that 
the world knows not of? Oh then certainly 
thy affliction is in love. 

4. If by your afflictions you are made more 
conformable to Christ in his virtues, then cer- 
tainly your afflictions are in love. Many are 
conformable to Christ in their sufferings, that are 
not made conformable to Christ in his virtues 
by their sufferings. Many are in poverty, 
neglect, shame, contempt, reproach, &c. like 
to Christ, who yet by these are not made more 
like to Christ in his meekness, humbleness, 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 127 

heavenliness, holiness, righteousness, faithful- 
ness, fruitfulness, goodness, contentedness,' 
patience, submission, and subjection. Oh, 
but if in these things you are made more like 
to Christ, without all peradventure your afflic- 
tions are in love. If by afflictions the soul be 
led to show forth the virtues of Christ, as in 1 
Pet. ii. 9, then certainly those afflictions are in 
love ; for they never have such an operation, 
but where they are set on by the hand of love. 
When God strikes as an enemy, all those 
strokes do but make a man more an enemy to 
God, as you see in Pharaoh, and others ; but 
when the strokes of God are the strokes of 
love, they do but bring the soul nearer to 
Christ, and transform the soul more and more 
into the likeness of Christ. If by thy afflictions 
thou art made more holy, humble, heavenly, 
&c. they are in love. But, 

5. If by outward afflictions thy soul be 
brought more under the inward teachings of 
God, Job xxxiv. 31, 32, doubtless thy afflic- 
tions are in love : " Blessed is the man whom 
thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachesthim out 
of thy law," Ps. xciv. 12. All the chasten- 
ing in the world, without Divine teaching, will 
never make a man blessed. That man that 
finds correction attended with instruction, and 
lashing with lessoning, is a happy man. If 
God, by the affliction that is upon thee, shall 
teach thee how to loathe sin more, how to 



128 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

trample upon the world more, and how to 
walk with God more, thy afflictions are in love ; 
if God shall teach thee, by afflictions, how to 
die to sin more, to thy relations more, and to 
self-interest more, thy afflictions are in love ; 
if God shall teach thee by afflictions, how to 
live to Christ more, to lift up Christ more, and 
to long for Christ more, thy afflictions are in 
love ; if God shall teach thee, by afflictions, to 
get assurance of a better life, and to be still in 
a gracious readiness and preparedness for the 
day of thy death, thy afflictions are in love ; if 
God shall teach thee by afflictions, how to 
mind heaven more, to live in heaven more, and 
to be more fit for heaven, thy afflictions are in 
Jove; if God, by afflictions, shall teach thy 
proud heart to lie more low, thy hard heart to 
grow more humble, thy censorious heart more 
charitable, thy carnal heart more spiritual, and 
thy fro ward heart more quiet, &c. thy afflic- 
tions are in love. When God teaches thy 
reins as well as thy brains, thy heart as well as 
thy head, any of these lessons, thy afflictions 
are in love. Where God loves, he afflicts in 
love : and wherever God afflicts in love, there 
he will, first or last, teach such souls such 
lessons as shall do them good to all eternity. 
6. If God suit your burden to your back, 
your trial to your strength, according to that 
golden promise, 1. Cor. x. 13, your afflictions 
are in love. u There hath no temptation taken 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 129 

you, but such as lie common to man ; but God 
is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted 
above that you are able ; but will, with the 
temptation, also make a way to escape, that ye 
may be able to bear it." When God's strokes, 
and a christian's strength, are suited one to 
another, all is in love ; let the load be ever so 
heavy that God lays on, if he put underneath 
his everlasting arms, all is love. As Egypt 
had many venomous creatures, so it had many 
antidotes against them ; when God shall lay 
antidotes into the soul against all the afflictions 
that befall a christian, then they are all in love. 
It is no matter how heavy the burden is, if 
God gives a shoulder to bear it, all is in love. 
It is no matter how bitter the cup is, if God 
gives courage to drink it off. It is no matter 
how hot the furnace is, if God gives power to 
walk in the midst of it, all is in love. 

7. If thou art willing to lie in the furnace 
till thy dross be consumed ; if thou art willing 
that the plaster should lie on, though it smart, 
till the cure be wrought ; if thou art willing 
that the physic should work, though it make 
thee sick, till the humors be expelled, all is in 
love. Cain, Saul, and Pharaoh, were all for 
removing the stroke of affliction ; they cry not, 
Our sins are greater than we are able to bear ; 
but they cry out, Our punishment is greater 
than we are able to bear. They cry not, 
Lord, take away our sins, but, Lord, remove 
11 



130 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

the stroke of thy hand. Oh ! but when afflic- 
tion comes in love upon a soul, the language of 
that soul is this, Lord, remove the cause, 
rather than the punishment; my corruption, 
rather than my affliction. Lord, what will it 
avail me to have the sore skinned over, if the 
corrupt matter still remain in ? There is no 
evil, Lord, like the evil of sin ; and therefore, 
deliver me rather from the evil of sin, than the 
evil of sufferings. I know, Lord, that afflic- 
tion cannot, be so displeasing to me, as sin is 
dishonorable and displeasing to thee ; and, 
therefore, Lord, let me see the end of my sin, 
though in this world I should never see an end 
of my sorrows ; oh ! let me see an end of my 
corruptions, though I should never see an end 
of my corrections. Lord, I had rather have 
a cure for my heart, than a cure for my head ; 
I had rather be made whole and sound within, 
than without ; I had rather have a healthy soul 
than a healthy body ; a pure inside, than a 
beautiful outside. If this be the settled frame 
and temper of thy spirit, certainly thy afflictions 
are in love. 

There was one who, being under marvellous 
great pains and torments in his body, (occa- 
sioned by many sore diseases that were upon 
him,) cried out, Had I all the world I would 
give it for ease ; and yet, for all the w r orld, I 
would not have ease till the cure be wrought. 
Sure his afflictions were in love. The first 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 131 

request, the great request and the last request 
of a soul afflicted in love, is, A cure Lord, a 
cure, Lord, a cure, Lord, of this wretched 
heart and this sinful life, and all will be well, all 
will be well. 

Lastly, If you live a life of faith in your 
afflictions, then your afflictions are in love. 
Now, what is it to live by faith in affliction, 
but to live in the exercising of faith upon those 
precious promises that are made to an afflicted 
condition ? These following promises have 
been choice cordials to many christians under 
sore distresses. God hath promised to be 
with his people in their afflictions, Isa. xliii. 2, 
3. He hath promised to support them under 
their afflictions, Isa. xli. 10, and lvii. 15; 
John x. 27—29; Isa. xxvi. 3; Matt. xi. 
28. He hath promised to deliver his people 
out of their afflictions, Ps. 1. 15. He hath 
promised to purge away his people's sins by 
afflictions, Isa. i. 25. He hath promised to 
make his people more partakers of his holiness 
by affliction, Heb. xii. 10. He hath promised 
to make afflictions an inlet to a more full and 
sweet enjoyment of himself, Hos. ii. 14. He 
hath promised that he will never leave nor 
forsake his people in their afflictions, Heb. 
xiii. 5, 6. He hath promised that all their 
afflictions shall work for their good, Rom. viii. 
28. Now, if thy faith be drawn forth to feed 
upon these promises ; if these be heavenly 



132 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

manna to thy faith, and thy soul lives upon 
them, and sucks strength and sweetness from 
them, under all the trials and troubles that are 
upon thee, thy afflictions are in love. 

A bee can suck honey out of a flower, which 
a fly cannot ; if thy faith can extract comfort 
and sweetness, in thy saddest distresses, out of 
the breasts of precious promises, and gather 
one contrary out of another, honey out of the 
rocks, thy afflictions are in love. They are 
the food of faith and the very soul of faith. 
They are an everlasting spring that can never 
be drawn <hy ; they are an inexhaustible treasure 
that can never be exhausted ; they are the 
garden of paradise, and full of such choice 
flowers that will never fade, but be always 
fresh, sweet, green, and flourishing ; and if, in 
the day of affliction, they prove thus to thy 
soul, thy afflictions are in love. If, in all thy 
troubles, thy heart be drawn forth to act faith 
upon the promises, thy troubles are from love. 
And this much by w 7 ay of answer to the first 
objection. 

Object. 2. "Oh! but, sir, the Lord hath 
smitten me in my nearest and dearest comforts 
and contentments, and how, then, can I hold 
my peace ? God hath taken away a husband, 
a wife, a child, an only child, a bosom-friend, 
and how then, can I be silent? " &c. 

Ans. To this I answer, 1 . If God did not 
strike thee in that mercy which was near and 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 13S 

dear unto thee, it would not amount to an 
affliction. That is not worthy the name of an 
affliction, that doth not strike at some bosom- 
mercy ; that trouble is no trouble, that doth 
not touch some choice contentment ; that storm 
is no storm, that only blows off the leaves, but 
never hurts the fruit ; that thrust is no thrust, 
that only touches the clothes, but never reaches 
the skin ; that cut is no cut, that only cuts the 
hat, but never touches the head; neither is 
that affliction any affliction, that only reaches 
some remote enjoyment, but never reaches a 
Joseph, a Benjamin, &c. 

2. The best mercy is not too good for the 
best God ; the best of the best is not good 
enough for him who is goodness itself; the ^est 
child, the best yoke-fellow, the best friend, the 
best jewel in all thy crown, must be readily 
assigned to thy best God ; there is no mercy, 
no enjoyment, no contentment, worthy of God, 
but the best; the milk of mercy is for others, 
the cream of mercy is due to God ; the choicest, 
the fairest, and the sweetest flowers are fittest 
for the bosom of God ; if he will take the best 
flower in all thy garden, and plant it in a better 
soil, hast thou any cause to murmur ? wilt thou 
not hold thy peace ? 

3. i our near and dear mercies were first 
the Lord's before they were yours, and always 
the Lord's more than they were yours. When 
God gives a mercy, he doth not relinquish his 

11* 



134 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

own right in that mercy* " All things conrg 
of thee, and of thine own have we given thee," 
1 Chron. xxix* 14. The sweet of mercy is 
yours, but the sovereign right to dispose of* 
your mercies is the Lord's. Whatsoever thou 
art> thou owest to him that made thee ; and 
whatsoever thou hast, thou owest to him that 
redeemed thee. You say, it is but just and 
reasonable that men should do with their 
own as they please ; and, is it not just and 
reasonable that God, who is Lord paramount^ 
should do with his own as he pleases ? Dost 
thou believe that the great God may do in 
heaven what he pleases, and on the seas what 
he pleases, and in the nations and kingdoms of 
the world what he pleases, and in thy heart 
what he pleases ? and dost thou not believe 
that God may do in thy house what he pleases, 
and do with thy mercies what he pleases ? 
" Behold, he taketh away," or he snatcheth 
away, (it may be a husband, a wife, a child, 
an estate,) u who can hinder him? who will 
say unto him, What doest thou?" Job ix. 12. 
Job plainly alludes to God's taking aw T ay his 
children, servants, and cattle. Who dares 
cavil against God ? who dares question that 
God that is unquestionable, that chief Lord 
that is uncontrollable, and who may do with his 
own what he pleaseth ? " And all the inhabi- 
tants of the earth are reputed as nothing ; and 
doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, 
and among the inhabitants of the earth ; and 



tNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 135 

none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What 
doest thou?" Dan. iv. 35. Where is the 
prince, the peasant, the master, the servant, 
the husband, the wife, the father, the child, 
that dares say to God, What doest thou ? In 
matters of arithmetical accounts, set one against 
ten, ten against a hundred, a hundred against a 
thousand, a thousand against ten thousand, 
although there be great odds, yet there is some 
comparison ; but if a man could set down an 
infinite number, then there could be no com- 
parison at all, because the one is finite, the 
other infinite ; so, set all the princes and 
powers of the earth in opposition to God, they 
shall never be able to withstand him. He can 
raise all the world in arms, to own him, to 
contend for him, or to revenge any affronts 
that by any are put upon him ; and, therefore, 
who shall say unto him, what doest thou ? Water 
is stronger than earth, fire stronger than water, 
angels stronger than men, and God stronger 
than them all ; and, therefore, who shall say 
unto God, What doest thou ? when he takes 
their nearest and their dearest mercies from 
them. But, 

4. It may be thou hast not made a happy 
improvement of thy near and dear mercies, 
whilst thou enjoyedst them ; thou hast been 
taken with thy mercies, but thy heart hath not 
been taken up in the improvement of them ; 
there are many who are very much taken with 



136 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

their mercies, who make no conscience of im* 
proving their mercies. Have thy near and 
dear mercies been a star to lead thee to Christ ? 
have they been a cloud by day, and a pillar of 
light by night, to lead thee towards the heavenly 
Canaan ? have they been a Jacob's ladder to 
thy soul ? hast thou by them been provoked to 
give up thyself to God as a living sacrifice ? 
Rom. xii. 1 ; hast thou improved thy near 
and dear mercies to the inflaming of thy love 
to God ; to the strengthening of thy confidence 
in God ; to the raising thy communion with 
God ; and to the engaging thy heart to a more 
close and circumspect walking before God ? 
&c. If thou hast not thus improved them, 
thou hast more cause to be mute than to mur- 
mur ; to be silent, than to be impatient ; to fall 
out with thyself, than to fall out with thy God. 
Children and fools are taken with many things, 
but improve nothing ; such children and fools 
are most men ; they are much taken with their 
mercies, but they make no improvement of their 
mercies, and therefore no wonder if God strip 
them of their mercies. The candle of mercy 
is set up, not to play by, but to work by. 

Pliny speaks of one Cressinus, who im* 
proved a little piece of ground to a far greater 
advantage than his neighbors could a greater 
quantity of land ; thereupon he was accused of 
witchcraft ; but he to defend himself, brought 
into the court his servants and their working* 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 137 

tools, and said, These are my witchcrafts, O 
ye Romans ! these servants, and these wording- 
tools, are all the witchcraft that I know of. 
When the people heard this plea, with one 
consent they acquitted him, and declared him 
not guilty ; and so his little piece of ground 
was secured to him. There is no way to se- 
cure your mercies, but by improving them ; 
there is nothing that provokes God to strip you 
of your mercies, like the non-improvement of 
them. " Take, therefore, the talent from him y 
and give it unto him that hath ten talents," 
Matt. xxv. 24 — -30. By some stroke or other 
God will take away the mercy that is not im- 
proved. If thy slothfulness hath put God 
upon passing a sentence of death upon thy 
dearest mercy, thank thyself, and hold thy 
peace. 

5. If in this case God had made thee a pre- 
cedent to others, thou must have held thy 
peace ; how much more then shouldest thou be 
mute when God hath made many others pre- 
cedents to thee ? Did not God smite Aaron 
in his near and dear enjoyments ; and did not 
he hold his peace ? Lev. x. 1 — 3. Did not 
God smite David in his Absalom,, and Job in 
his sons, daughters, estate, and body, and 
Jonah in his gourd ? Art thou more beloved 
than these ? No. Hast thou more grace than 
thes^ ? No. Hast thou done more for Divine 
glory than these ? No. Art thou richer in spir- 



138 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

itual experience than these ? No. Hast thou 
attained to higher enjoyments than these ? No. 
Hast thou been more serviceable in thy gene- 
ration than these ? No. Hast thou been more 
exemplary in thy life and conversation than 
these ? No. &c. Then why shouldst thou 
murmur and fret at that which hath been the 
common lot of the dearest saints ? 

Though God hath smitten thee in this or 
that near and dear enjoyment, it is thy wisdom 
to hold thy peace ; for that God who hath ta- 
ken away one, might have taken away all. 
Justice writes a sentence of death upon all 
Job's mercies at once, and yet he holds his 
peace ; and wilt not thou hold thine, though 
God hath cropt the fairest flower in all thy 
garden ? When our hearts begin to storm and 
take on, when God smites us in this near 
mercy, and in that dear enjoyment ; oh ! let us 
lay the law of silence upon our hearts, let us 
charge our souls to be quiet ; for that God 
who hath taken away one child, might have 
taken away every child ; and he who hath 
taken away one friend, might have taken away 
every friend ; and he who hath taken away a 
part of thy estate, might have taken away thy 
whole estate : therefore hold thy peace ; let 
who will murmur, yet be thou mute. 

6. It may be thy sins have been much about 
thy near and dear enjoyments ; it may be thou 
hast over-loved them*, and over-prized them, 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 139 

and overmuch delighted thyself in them ; it 
may be they have often had thy heart, when 
they should have had but thy hand ; it may be 
that care, that fear, that confidence, that joy, 
which should have been expended upon them. 
Ah ! how often hath one creature comfort, and 
sometimes another, come in between Christ 
and your souls ! How often have your dear 
enjoyments stood in Christ's place ! Now, if 
a husband, a child, a friend, shall take up that 
room in thy soul that is proper and peculiar to 
God, God will either imbitter it, remove it, 
or be the death of it. If once the love of a 
wife runs out more to a servant, than to her 
husband, the master will turn him out of doors, 
though otherwise he w r ere a servant worth gold. 
The sweetest comforts of this life are but like 
treasures of snow : do but take a handful of 
snow 7 , and crush it in your hands, and it will 
melt away presently ; but if you let it lie upon 
the ground, it will continue for some time ; and 
so it is with the comforts of this world ; if you 
grasp them in your hands, and lay them too 
near your hearts, they will quickly melt and 
vanish away ; but if you will not hold them too 
fast in your hands, nor lay them too close to 
your hearts, they will abide the longer with you. 
There are those that hug their mercies to 
death, that kiss them till they kill them. Many 
a man hath slain his mercies, by setting too 
great a value upon them ; over-loved mercies 



140 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

are seldom long-lived. "When I take from 
them the joy of their glory, the desire of their 
eyes, and that whereupon they set their minds, 
their sons and their daughters," Ezek. xxiv. 
25. The way to lose your mercies, is to in- 
dulge them; the way to destroy them, is to fix 
your minds and hearts upon them ; thou mayst 
write bitterness and death upon that mercy 
first, that hath first taken away thy heart from 
God. Now T , if God hath stript thee of that 
very mercy with which thou hast often com- 
mitted spiritual adultery and idolatry, hast thou 
any cause to murmur ? hast thou not rather 
cause to hold thy peace, and to be mute before 
the Lord ? Christians, your hearts are Christ's 
royal throne, and in this throne Christ will be 
chief, (as Pharaoh said to Joseph, Gen. xli. 
40,) he will endure no competitor. If you 
shall attempt to enthrone the creature, be it 
ever so near and dear unto you, -Christ will 
dethrone it, he will destroy it ; he will quickly 
lay them in a bed of dust, who shall aspire to 
his royal throne. But, 

7. Thou hast no cause to murmur, because 
of the loss of such near and dear enjoyments, 
considering those more noble and spiritual 
mercies and favors that thou still enjoyest. 
Grant that Joseph is not, Gen. xlii. 36, and 
Benjamin is not ; yet Jesus is ; he is yesterday, 
and to-day, and the same forever, Heb. xiii. 
8. Thy union and communion with Christ re- 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 141 

mains still, the immortal seed abides in thee 
still, the Sun of Righteousness shines upon 
thee still, thou art in favor with God still, and 
thou art under the anointings of the Spirit still, 
and under the influences of heaven still, &c. ; 
why then shouldst thou mutter, and not rather 
hold thy peace ? Ah, christians ! hath God 
blessed you with all spiritual blessings in heav- 
enly places, Eph. i. 3 ; hath the Lord given 
you himself for a portion ; hath he given you 
his Son for your Redemption, and his Spirit 
for your instruction ; and will you murmur ? 
Hath he given his grace to adorn you, his 
promises to comfort you, his ordinances to 
improve you, and the hopes of heaven to en- 
courage you ; and will you mutter ? Paulinus 
Nolanus, when his city was taken from him, 
prayed thus : Lord, (said he,) let me not be 
troubled at the loss of my gold, silver, honor, 
&c. for thou art all, and much more than all 
these unto me, In the want of all your sweet- 
est enjoyments, Christ will be all in all unto 
you, Col. hi. 11. My jewels are my hus- 
band, said Phocion's wife ; my ornaments are 
my two sons, said the mother of the Gracchi ; 
my treasures are my friends, said Constantius ; 
and so may a Christian, under his greatest 
losses, say, Christ is my richest jewels, my 
chief treasures, my best ornaments, my sweet- 
est delights ; what all these things are to a 
12 



142 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

carnal heart, a worldly heart, that (and more) 
is Christ to me. 

8. If God, by smiting thee in thy nearest 
and dearest enjoyments, shall put thee upon a 
more thorough smiting and mortifying of thy 
dearest sins, thou hast no cause to murmur. 
There is some Delilah, some darling, some 
beloved sin or other, Ps. xviii. 23 ; Heb. xii. 
1, that a christian's calling, condition, consti- 
tution, or temptations, lead him to play withal, 
and to hug in his own bosom, rather than some 
other. As in a ground that lieth untilled, 
amongst the great variety of weeds, there is 
usually some master-weed that is rifer and 
ranker than all the rest; and as it is in the 
body of man, that although, in some degree or 
other, more or less, there be a mixture of all 
the four elements, not any of them wholly 
wanting, yet there is some of them predomi- 
nant, that gives the denomination ' h in which 
regard, some are said to be of a sanguine, some 
of a phlegmatic, some of a choleric, and some of 
a melancholy constitution ; so it is also in the 
souls of men, though there be a general mixture 
and medley of all evil and corrupt qualities, yet 
there is some one usually that is paramount, 
which, like the prince of devils, is most power- 
ful and prevalent, that swayeth and showeth 
forth itself more eminently and evidently than 
any other of them do. And as in every man's 
body there is a seed and principle of death, 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 143 

yet in some there is a proneness to one kind of 
disease more than another, that may hasten 
death ; so, though the root of sin and bitter- 
ness hath spread itself over all, yet every man 
hath his inclination to one kind of sin rather 
than another, and this may be called a man's 
proper sin, his bosom sin, his darling sin. 
Now, it is one of the hardest works in this 
world, to subdue and bring under this bosom 
sin. Oh ! the prayers, the tears, the sighs, 
the sobs, the groans, that it will cost a chris- 
tian, before he brings under this darling sin ! 
Look upon a rabbit's skin, how well it comes 
off till it comes to the head, but then what 
hauling and pulling is there before it stirs ! So 
it is in the mortifying, in the crucifying of sin. 
A man may easily prove and mortify pride and 
such and such sins, but when it comes to the head 
sin, to the master sin, oh, what tugging and pulling 
is there, what striving and struggling is there, 
to get off that sin ! 

Now, if the Lord, by smiting thee in some 
near and dear enjoyment, shall draw out thy 
heart to oppose thy master sin, and shall so 
sanctify the affliction as to make it issue in the 
mortification of thy bosom corruption ; what 
eminent cause wilt thou have rather to bless 
him, than to sit down and murmur against him ! 
And, doubtless, if thou art dear to God, God 
will, by striking thy dearest mercy, put thee 
upon striking at thy darling sin ; and therefore 



144 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

hold thy peace, even then when God touches 
the apple of thine eye. 

9. Consider, that the Lord hath many ways 
to make up the loss of a near and dear mercy 
to thee, Matt. xix. 27 — 30. He can make 
up thy loss in something else that may be better 
for thee, and he will certainly make up thy 
loss, either in kind or in worth. He took 
from David an Absalom, and he gave him a 
Solomon; he took from him a Michal, and 
gave him a wise Abigail ; he took from Job a 
fair estate, and afterwards doubled it to him ; 
he removed the bodily presence of Christ from 
his disciples, but gave them more abundantly 
of his spiritual presence, John xvi. 7, 8, &c. 
Acts ii., which was by far the greater and the 
sweeter mercy. If Moses be taken away, 
Joshua shall be raised in his room ; If David 
be gathered to his fathers, a Solomon shall 
succeed him in his throne ; if John be cast into 
prison, a greater than John, even Christ him- 
self, will preach. He that lives upon God in 
the loss of creature comforts, shall find all 
made up in the God of comforts ; he shall be 
able to say, Though my child is not, my friend 
is not, my yoke-fellow is not, yet my God 
liveth, and blessed be my rock, Ps. xviii. 46. 
Though this mercy is not, and that mercy is 
not, yet covenant mercies, the sure mercies of 
David, continue, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5 ; these bed 
and board with me, these will go to the grave, 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 145 

and to glory with me. I have read of a godly- 
man who, living near a philosopher, did often 
persuade him to become a christian ; Oh ! but, 
said the philosopher, I must, or may lose all 
for Christ ; to which the good man replied, If 
you lose any thing for Christ, he will be sure 
to repay it a hundred-fold. Ay, but, said the 
philosopher, will you be bound for Christ, that 
if he doth not pay me, you will ? Yes, that I 
will, said the good man ! So the philosopher 
became a christian, and the good man entered 
into bond for performance of covenants. Some 
time after, it happened that the philosopher fell 
sick on his death-bed, and holding' the bond 
in his hand, sent for the party engaged; to 
whom he gave up the bond, and said, Christ 
hath paid all, there is nothing for you to pay ; 
take your bond and cancel it. Christ will 
suffer none of his children to go by the loss ; 
he hath all, and he will make up all to them ; 
in the close, Christ will pay the reckoning. 
No man shall ever have cause to say, that he 
hath been a loser by Christ; and therefore 
thou hast much cause to be mute, thou hast no 
cause to murmur, though God hath snatched 
the fairest and the sweetest flower out of thy 
bosom. 

10. How canst thou tell, but that which 

thou callest a near and dear mercy, if it had 

been continued longer to thee, might have 

proved the greatest cross, the greatest calamity 

12* 



146 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

and misery that ever thou didst meet with in 
this world ? Our mercies, like choice wines, 
oftentimes turn into vinegar ! our fairest hopes 
are often blasted ; and that very mercy which 
we sometimes have said should be a staff to 
support us, hath proved a sword to pierce us. 
How often have our most flourishing mercies 
withered in our hands, and our bosom con- 
tentments been turned into gall and wormwood ! 
If God had continued the life of David's child 
to him, it would have been but a living monu- 
ment of his sin, and then all who knew the 
child would have pointed at him, Yonder 
goes David's natural child, and so would have 
kept David's wound still a bleeding. Many pa- 
rents, who have sought the lives of their chil- 
dren with tears, have lived afterwards to see 
them take such courses and come to such dis- 
mal ends, as have brought their grey heads with 
sorrow to their graves. It had been ten thou- 
sand times a greater mercy to many parents, to 
have buried their children as soon as ever they 
were born, than to see them come to such un- 
happy ends as they often do. Well, christian, 
it may be the Lord hath taken from thee such 
a hopeful son, or such a dear daughter, and 
thou sayest, How can I hold my peace ? But 
hark, christian ! canst thou tell me how long 
thou must have travailed in birth with them 
again, before they had been regenerated, before 
they had been twice born ? Would not ever} 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 147 

sin that they had committed against thy gracious 
God have caused a new throe in thy soul ? 
would not every temptation by which they 
had fallen been as a dagger at thy heart ? Would 
not every affliction that should have befallen 
them, been as a knife at thy throat ? What 
are those pains, and pangs, and throes of child- 
birth, to those after-pains, pangs, and throes, 
that might have been brought upon thee, by the 
sins and sufferings of thy children ? Well, 
christians, hold your peace, for you do not 
know what thorns in your eyes, what goads in 
your sides, nor what spears in your hearts, 
such near and dear mercies might have proved, 
had they been longer continued. 

1 1 . Thou canst not tel^ how bad thy heart 
might have proved under the enjoyment of 
those near and dear mercies that thou now hast 
lost. In the winter men gird their clothes 
close about them, but in the summer they let 
them hang loose ; in the winter of adversity, 
many a christian girds his heart close to God, 
to Christ, to the gospel, to godliness, to ordi- 
nances, to duties, &c. who in the summer of 
mercy hangs loose from all. 

Who can seriously consider this, and not 
hold his peace, even then when God takes a 
jewel out of his bosom ? Heap all the sweet- 
est contentments, and most desirable enjoy- 
ments of this world upon a man, they will not 
make him a christian ; heap them upon a chris- 



148 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

tian, they will not make him a better christian ; 
many a christian hath been made worse by the 
good things of this world, but where is the 
christian that hath been bettered by them ? 
Therefore be quiet when God strips thee of 
them. 

Lastly, Get thy heart more affected with 
spiritual losses, and then thy soul will be less 
afflicted with those temporal losses that thou 
mournest under. Hast thou lost nothing of 
that presence of God that once thou hadst with 
thy spirit ? Hast thou lost none of those 
warnings, meltings, quickenings, and cheerings, 
that once thou hadst ? Hast thou lost nothing 
of thy communion with God, nor of the joys 
of the Spirit, nor of that peace of conscience, 
that thou once enjoyedst? Hast thou lost 
none of that ground that once thou hadst got 
upon sin, Satan, and the world ? Hast thou 
lost nothing of that holy vigor, and heavenly 
heat, that once thou hadst in thy heart ? If 
thou hast not, (which would be a miracle, a 
wonder,) why dost thou complain of this or 
that temporal loss ? For what is this, but to 
complain of the loss of thy purse, when thy 
gold is safe ? But if thou art a loser in spirit- 
uals, why dost thou not rather complain, that 
thou hast lost thy God, than that thou hast lost 
thy gold ? and that thou hast lost thy Christ, 
than that thou hast lost thy husband ? and that 
thou hast lost thy peace, than that thou hast 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 149 

lost thy child ? and that thou art a loser in 
spirituals, than that thou art a loser in tempo- 
rals ? Dost thou mourn over the body the 
soul hath left ? Mourn rather over the soul 
that God hath forsaken, as Samuel did for 
Saul, 1 Sam. xv. 35. 

What is the loss of a husband, a wife, a 
child, a friend, to the loss of God, Christ, the 
Spirit, or the least measure of grace, or com- 
munion with God? &c. Yet so simple and 
childish are many christians, that they are more 
affected and afflicted with the loss of this and 
that poor temporal enjoyment, than they are 
with the loss of their most spiritual attainments. 
Ah, christians ! be but more affected with 
spiritual losses, and you will be more quiet and 
silent under temporal losses. Let these things 
suffice for answer to the second objection. 

Object. 3. " Oh ! but my afflictions, my 
troubles have been long upon me, and how 
then can I hold my peace ? Were they but 
of yesterday, I would be quiet, but they are 
of a long continuance, and therefore how can 
I be silent?" 

To this I answer, 1 . Thou canst not date 
thy affliction from the first day of thy pollution. 
Thou hast been polluted from the womb, Ps. 
li. 5, but thou hast not been afflicted from the 
womb. Many have been the days, the years, 
since thou wast born in sin ; few have been the 
days, the years, that thou hast experienced 



150 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

sorrow ; thou canst not easily number the days 
of thy sinning, thou canst easily number the 
days of thy suffering ; thou canst not number 
thy days of mercy, thou canst easily number 
thy days of calamity ; thou canst not number 
thy days of health, but thou canst easily tell 
over thy days of sickness. 

Thy afflictions are not so long as the afflic- 
tions of other saints ; compare thy winter 
nights, and other saints' winter nights, thy 
storms and troubles, and other saints' storms 
and troubles, thy losses, and other saints' 
losses, thy miseries, and other saints' miseries. 
Witness these following proofs, Ps. lxxvii. and 
Ixxxviii. ; Gen. xv. 12, 13; Jer. xxv. 11, 
12. Thy afflictions are but as a moment, they 
are but as yesterday, if compared with the 
afflictions of other saints, whose whole lives 
have been made up of sorrows and sufferings, 
as the life of Christ was ; many a man's life 
hath been nothing but a lingering death — " And 
another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and 
never eateth with pleasure," Job xxi. 25. 
There are those that have never a good day 
all their days ; who have not a day of rest 
among all their days of trouble, nor a day of 
health among all their days of sickness, nor a 
day of gladness among all their days of sadness, 
nor a day of strength among all their days of 
weakness, nor a day of honor among all their 
days of reproach ; w r hose whole life is one con- 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 151 

tinued winter's night, who every day drink gall 
and wormwood, who lie down sighing, who 
rise groaning, and who spend their days in 
complaining. No sorrow like our sorrows, 
no sufferings like our sufferings ; there are 
some who have always tears in their eyes, sor- 
rows in their hearts, rods on their backs, and 
crosses in their hands ; but it is not so with 
thee, therefore be silent. 

3. The longer thy affliction hath been, the 
sweeter will heaven be to thee at last. The 
longer the Israelites had been in the wilderness, 
the sweeter was Canaan to them at last. The 
longer the storm, the sweeter the calm ; the 
longer the winter nights, the sweeter the sum- 
mer days ; long afflictions will much set off the 
glory of heaven. The harbor is most sweet 
and desirable to them that have been long 
tossed upon the seas ; so will heaven be to 
those who have been long in a sea of troubles. 
The new wine of Christ's kingdom is most 
sweet to those that have been long drinking of 
gall and vinegar, Luke xxii. 18. The crown 
of glory will be most delightful to them who 
have been long combating with the world, 
the flesh, and the devil. The longer our 
journey is, the sweeter will be our end ; 
and the longer our passage is, the sweeter will 
our haven be. The higher the mountain, the 
gladder we shall be when we are got to the 
top of it. The longer the heir is kept from 



152 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

his inheritance, the more delight he will have 
when he comes to possess it. 

4. They are not long, but short, if compared 
to that eternity of glory that is reserved for the 
saints, 2 Cor. iv. 16 — 18. If you turn to the 
words, you shall find for affliction, glory ; for 
light afflictions, a weight of glory ; and for 
short, momentary afflictions, eternal glory : 
there will quickly be an end of thy sadness, 
but there will never be an end of thy happi- 
ness ; there will soon be an end of thy calamity 
and misery, there will never be an end of thy 
felicity and glory. The kingdoms of this 
world are not lasting, much less are they ever- 
lasting, they have all their climacterical years ; 
but the kingdom of heaven is an everlasting 
kingdom, of that there is no end. The crowns 
that were in use among the Roman victors, 
were all fading and perishing ; but the crown 
of glory that at last God will set upon the heads 
of his saints, shall continue as long as God 
himself continues. Who can look upon those 
eternal mansions that are above, and those 
everlasting pleasures that are at God's right 
hand, and say, that his affliction is long ? Well, 
christian, let thy affliction be ever so long, yet 
one hour's being in the bosom of Christ will 
make thee forget both the length and strength 
of all thy afflictions. 

5. The longer you have been afflicted, the 
more in spiritual experiences you have been 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 153 

enriched. " For as the sufferings of Christ 
abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth 
by Christ," 2 Cor. i. 5. The lower the ebb, 
the higher the tide ; the more pain, the more 
gain ; the more afflicted, the more comforted ; 
the lower we are cast, the higher we shall be 
raised. Of all christians, none so rich in 
spiritual experiences as those that have been 
long in the school of affliction, Heb. xii. 11 ; 
2 Cor. xii. 9 ; Job xxxiii. 17—25. Oh ! the 
blessed stories that such can tell of the power 
of God supporting them, of the wisdom of God 
directing them, of the favor of God comforting 
them, of the presence of God assisting them ! 
Oh ! the sins that long afflictions have dis- 
covered and mortified ! Oh ! the temptations 
that long afflictions have prevented and van- 
quished ! You shall as soon number the stars 
of heaven, and the sands of the sea, as you 
shall number up the heavenly experiences of 
such christians as have been long under afflic- 
tions. The afflicted christian's heart is fullest 
of spiritual treasure ; though he may be poor 
in the world, yet he is rich in faith and holy 
experiences ; and what are all the riches of this 
world to spiritual experiences ? One spiritual 
experience is more worth than a world ; and, 
upon a dying bed, and before a judgment-seat, 
every man will be of this opinion. The men 
of this world will, with much quietness and 
calmness of spirit, bear much and suffer much, 
13 



154 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

aye, and suffer long, when they find their suf- 
ferings add to their revenues ; and shall nature 
do more than grace ? It is the common voice 
of nature, " Who will show us any good?" 
How shall we come to be great, and high, and 
rich in the world ? We care not what we 
suffer, nor how long we surfer, so we may but 
add house to house, heap to heap, bag to bag, 
and land to land. Oh ! how much more then 
should christians be quiet and calm under all 
their afflictions, though they are ever so long ! 
considering, that they do but add jewels to a 
christian's crown; they do but add to his spirit- 
ual experiences. The long afflicted christian 
hath the fullest and the greatest trade ; and, in 
the day of account, will be found the richest 
man. 

6. Long afflictions sometimes are but pre- 
paratives to long-lived mercies. Joseph's 
thirteen years' imprisonment was but a prepar- 
ative to fourscore years reigning like a king ; 
David's seven years' banishment was but a 
preparative to forty years reigning in much 
honor and glory ; Job's long afflictions were 
but preparatives to more long-lived mercies, as 
you may see in the last chapter of Job ; and 
those sad and sore trials that the Jews have 
been under for above seventeen hundred years, 
are to prepare them for those matchless mer- 
cies, Isa. lxii. Ixiii. and lxvi., and those end- 
less glories, (in some sense,) that God in the 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 155 

latter days will crown them with. " O thou 
afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not com- 
forted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair 
colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. 
And I will make thy windows of agates, and 
thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of 
pleasant stones. And all thy children shall be 
taught of the Lord ; and great shall be the 
peace of thy children. In righteousness sbalt 
thou be established : thou shalt be far from op- 
pression, for thou shalt not fear; and from 
terror, for it shall not come near thee," Isa. 
liv. 11 — 14. Though they have been long 
afflicted and tossed, yet they shall, at last, upon 
glorious foundations, be established ; God will 
not only raise them out of their distressed 
estate, wherein now they are, but he will ad- 
vance them to a most eminent and glorious 
condition in this world ; they shall be very 
glorious, and outshine all the world in spiritual 
excellences and outward dignities. " The 
sons also of them that afflicted thee, shall come 
bending unto thee ; and all they that despised 
thee, shall bow themselves down at the soles 
of thy feet ; and they shall call thee, The city 
of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of 
Israel. Whereas, thou hast been forsaken and 
hated, so that no man went through thee, I 
will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of 
many generations," Isa. lx. 14, 15. Ah, 
christians ! do not mutter nor murmur under 



156 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

your afflictions ; for you do not know but that, 
by these long afflictions, God may prepare and 
fit you for such favors and blessings that may 
never have an end; by long afflictions, God 
many times prepares his people for temporal, 
spiritual, and eternal mercies. If God, by 
long afflictions, makes more room in thy soul 
for himself, his Son, his Spirit, his word ; if, 
by long afflictions, he shall crucify thy heart 
more to the world, and to thy relations, and 
frame and fashion thy soul more for celestial 
enjoyments, hast thou any cause to murmur ? 
Surely no. 

7. The longer a saint is afflicted on earth, 
the more glorious he shall shine in heaven ; the 
more affliction here, the more glory hereafter, 2 
Cor. iv. 16—18; Matt. v. 10—12. This 
truth may be thus made out : 

(1.) The more gracious souls are afflicted, 
the more their graces are exercised and in- 
creased, Heb. xii. 10: Rom. v. 3 — 5. Now, 
the more grace here, the more glory hereafter ; 
the higher in grace, the higher in glory. Grace 
differs nothing from glory but in name ; grace 
is glory in the bud, and glory is grace at the 
full ; glory is nothing but the perfection of 
grace, happiness is nothing but the perfection 
of holiness ; grace is glory in the seed, and 
glory is grace in the flower ; grace is glory 
militant, and glory is grace triumphant ; grace 
and glory differ in degree not in kind, as the 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 157 

learned speak. Now, it is most certain, that 
the more gracious souls are afflicted, the more 
their graces are exercised ; and, the more grace 
is exercised, the more it is increased ; as I 
have sufficiently demonstrated in this treatise 
already. 

(2.) The longer a gracious soul is afflicted, 
the more his religious duties will be multiplied. 
" For my love they are my adversaries ; but 
I give myself unto prayer," Ps. cix. 4 ; or, 
as the Hebrew reads it — but I am prayer, or 
a man of prayer. In times of affliction, a 
christian is all prayer ; he is never so much a 
man of prayer, a man given up to prayer, as 
in times of affliction. A christian is never so 
frequent, so fervent, so abundant in the work 
of the Lord, as when he is afflicted. " Lord, 
in trouble have they visited thee, they poured 
out a prayer when thy chastening was upon 
them," Isa. xxvi. 16. Now, they not only 
pray, but they pour out a prayer ; they were 
freely, largely, and abundantly in prayer, when 
the rod was upon them. As men plentifully 
pour out water for the quenching of a fire, so 
did they plentifully pour out their prayers be- 
fore the Lord ; and as affliction puts a man 
upon being much in prayer, so it puts him upon 
other duties of religion answerably. Now, 
this is most certain, that though God will re- 
ward no man for his works, yet he will reward 
every man according to his works, Matt. xxv. 
13* 



158 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

46. " Therefore, my beloved brethren, be 
ye stedfast, immovable, always abounding in 
the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know 
that your labor is not in vain in the Lord," 
1 Cor. xv. 48. " But this I say, He which 
soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly ; and 
he which soweth bountifully, shall reap also 
bountifully," 2 Cor. ix. 6 ; or, he which 
soweth in benedictions or blessings, shall reap 
in benedictions, as it runs in the original. 

It is an excellent observation of Calvin, upon 
God's rewarding the Reehabites' obedience, 
Jer. xxxv. 19. God, saith he, oft recompen- 
sed the shadows and seeming appearance of 
virtue, to show what complacency he takes in 
the ample rewards he hath reserved for true 
and sincere piety. Now, if the longer a chris- 
tian is afflicted, the more his religious services 
will be multiplied ; and the more they are mul- 
tiplied, the more his glory at last will be in- 
creased ; then, the longer a saint is afflicted on 
earth, the more glory he shall have when he 
comes to heaven. 

(3.) The longer any saint is afflicted, the 
more into the image and likeness of Christ he 
will be transformed. It is one of God's great 
designs and ends in afflicting his people, to 
make them more conformable to his Son ; and 
God will not lose his end ; men often lose 
theirs, but God never hath lost, nor will lose 
his ; and experience tells us, that God doth 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 159 

every day, by afflictions, accomplish his end 
upon his people ; the longer they are afflicted, 
the more they are made conformable to Christ, 
in meekness, lowliness, spirituality, heavenli- 
ness, faith, love, self-denial, pity, compassion, 
&c. Now, certainly, the more like to Christ, 
the more beloved of Christ ; the more a chris- 
tian is like to Christ, the more he is the delight 
of Christ; and the more like to Christ on 
earth, the nearer the soul shall sit to Christ in 
heaven. Nothing makes a man more conform- 
able to Christ than afflictions. 

8. The longer they have been, the greater 
cause thou hast to be silent and patient, for 
impatience will but lengthen out the day of thy 
sorrows ; every impatient act adds one link more 
to the chains ; every act of fixnvardness adds 
one lash more to those that have already been 
laid on ; every act of muttering will but add 
stroke to stroke, and sting to sting ; every act 
of murmuring will but add burden to burden, 
and storm to storm ; the most compendious 
way to lengthen out thy long afflictions, is to 
fret, and vex, and murmur under them. As 
thou wouldst see a speedy issue of thy long 
afflictions, sit mute and silent under them. 

9. God's time is the best time; mercy is 
never nearer; salvation is at hand, deliverance 
is at the door, when a man's heart is brought 
into such a frame as to be freely willing that 
God should time his mercy, and time his de- 



160 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

liverance for him. The physician's time is the 
best time for the patient to have ease. The 
impatient sufferer cries out to his physician, 
Oh, sir ; a little ease, a little refreshment ; oh, 
the pains, the torments that I am under ! Oh, 
sir ! I think every hour two, and every two ten, 
till refreshment comes, till comfort comes. But 
the prudent physician hath turned the hour-glass, 
and is resolved that his physic shall work so 
long, though his patient frets, flings and roars. 
So, when we are under afflictions, we are apt 
to cry out, How long, Lord, shall it be before 
ease comes, before deliverance comes ; Oh, 
the tortures ; oh the torments that we are 
under ! Lord, a little refreshment. Oh, how 
long are these nights ! Oh, how tedious are 
these days ! But God hath turned our glass, 
and he will not hearken to our cry till our glass 
be out ; after all our fretting and flinging, we 
must stay his time, who knows best, when to 
deliver us, and how to deliver us out of all our 
troubles ; and who will not stay a moment 
when the glass is out that he hath turned. 
But, 

Lastly, They shall continue no longer than 
there is need, and then they shall work 
for thy good. It is with souls as it is with 
bodies ; some bodies are more easily and 
more suddenly cured than others are, and so 
are some souls ; God will not suffer the plaster 
to lie one day, no, not one hour, no, not a 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 161 

moment, longer than there is need ; some flesh 
heals quickly, proud flesh is long healing ; by 
affliction God quickly heals some, but others 
are long healing. "If need be, ye are in 
heaviness, through manifold temptations," or, 
through various afflictions, 1 Pet. i. 6 : the 
burden shall lie no longer upon thee than needs 
must, thy pain shall endure no longer than 
needs must, thy physic shall make thee no 
longer sick than needs must, &c. Thy heav- 
enly Father is a Physician, as wise as he is 
loving ; when thy heart begins to grow high, 
he sees there is need of some heavy affliction 
to bring it low ; when thy heart grows cold, 
he sees there is need of some fiery affliction to 
heat it, and warm it ; when thy heart grows 
dull and dead, he sees there is need of some 
smart affliction to enliven and quicken it. And 
as thy afflictions shall continue no longer than 
there is need, so they shall last no longer than 
they shall work for thy good. If so, thou 
hast no cause to complain that thy afflictions 
are long. That they shall thus work, I have 
fully proved in the former part of this book. 
And thus much for answer to the third objec- 
tion. 

Object. 4. "I would be mute and silent 
under my afflictions, but my afflictions daily 
multiply and increase upon me ; like the waves 
of the sea, they come rolling one over the neck 
of another, and how, then, can I hold my 



162 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

peace ? How can I lay my hand upon my 
mouth, when the sorrows of my heart are daily 
increased ?" 

To this I answer thus, 

1 . Thy afflictions are not so many as thy 
sins ; thy sins are as the stars of heaven, and 
as the sands of the sea, that cannot be num- 
bered. There are three things that no chris- 
tian can number : (1.) His sins. (2.) Divine 
favors. (3.) The joys and pleasures that are 
at Christ's right hand. But there is no chris- 
tian so poor an accountant, but that he may 
quickly sum up the number of his troubles and 
afflictions in this world. Thy sins, O chris- 
tian ! are like the Syrians that filled the coun- 
try ; but thy afflictions are like the two little 
flocks of kids that pitched before them, 1 
Kings xx. 27, therefore hold thy peace. 

2. If such should not be mute and silent 
under their afflictions, whose afflictions are in- 
creased and multiplied upon them, then there 
are none in the world who will be found mute 
and silent under their afflictions ; for certainly 
there are none who do not find the waters of 
affliction to grow daily upon them. What 
mean the daily sighs, groans, and complaints 
of christians amongst us, if their troubles, like 
the waters in EzekiePs sanctuary, be not still 
increasing upon them ? Every day brings us 
tidings of new straits, new troubles, new 
crosses, new losses, new trials, &c. 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 163 

3. They are not so many as God might 
have exercised thee with. God could as easily 
exercise thee with ten as with two, and with a 
hundred as with ten, and with a thousand as 
with a hundred. Let thy afflictions be ever so 
many, yet they are not so many as they might 
have been, had God either consulted with thy 
sins, with thy deserts, or with his own justice ; 
there is no comparison between those afflic- 
tions that God hath inflicted upon thee, and 
those that he might have inflicted ; thou hast 
not one burden of a thousand that God could 
have laid on, but he would not ; therefore hold 
thy peace. 

4. Thy afflictions are not so many as thy 
mercies ; nay, they are not to be named in the 
day wherein thy mercies are spoken of. What 
are thy crosses to thy comforts, thy miseries 
to thy mercies, thy days of sickness to thy 
days of health, thy days of weakness to thy 
days of strength, thy days of scarcity to thy 
days of plenty ? And this is that the wise man 
would have us seriously to consider. u In the 
day of adversity consider ; " but what must we 
consider ? " that God hath set the one over- 
against the other," Eccl. vii. 14. As God 
hath set winter and summer, night and day, 
fair weather and foul, one over-against another ; 
so, let us set our present mercies over-agaiust 
our present troubles, and we shall presently 
find that our mercies exceed our troubles, that 



164 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

they mightily overbalance our present afflic- 
tions ; therefore let us be silent, let us lay our 
hands upon our mouths. 

5. If you cast up a just and righteous ac- 
count, you will find that they are not so many 
as the afflictions that have befallen other saints. 
Have you reckoned up the afflictions that be- 
fell Abraham, Jacob, Job, Asaph, Heman, the 
prophets and apostles ? If you have, you will 
say, that your afflictions are no afflictions to 
those that have befallen them ; their lives were 
filled up with sorrows and sufferings, but so are 
not yours ; therefore kiss the rod, and be si- 
lent. It may be, if thou lookest but upon thy 
relations, thy friends, thy neighbors, thou 
mayst find many whose afflictions, for number 
and weight, do much outweigh thine ; there- 
fore be silent, murmur not, hold thy peace. 

6. Not so many as attended our Lord Jesus, 
whose whole life, from the cradle to the cross, 
(Isa. liii. read the whole chapter,) was nothing 
but a life of sufferings. Many afflictions did 
Christ meet with whilst he was in this world ; 
none can be ignorant of this who have but 
read the New Testament ; he is called a man of 
sorrows ; his whole life was filled up with sor- 
rows ; when he was but a little past thirty 
years of age, sorrows, pains, troubles, opposi- 
tions, and persecutions, had so worn him, that 
the Jews judged him towards fifty, John viii. 
57. A man had as good compare the number 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 165 

of his bosom friends with the stars of heaven, 
as compare his afflictions and the afflictions of 
Christ together. 

7. Muttering and murmuring will but add 
to the number. When the child is under the 
rod, his crying and fretting doth but add lash 
to lash, blow to blow. But of this enough be- 
fore. 

Lastly, Though there are many, yet they 
are not so many as the joys, the pleasures, the 
delights that are at Christ's right hand ; as the 
pleasures of heaven are matchless and endless, 
so they are numberless. Augustine, speaking 
concerning what tve can say of heaven, saith, 
that it is but a little drop of the sea, and a little 
spark of the great furnace. Those good things 
of eternal life are so many, that they exceed 
number ; so great, that they exceed measure ; 
so precious, that they are above all estimation. 
Neither Christ nor heaven can be hyperbo- 
lized ; for every affliction, many thousand joys 
and delights will attend the saints in a glorified 
state. What will that life be, or rather, what 
will not that life be, saith one, (speaking of 
heaven,) since all good either is not at all, or 
is in such a life ? light which place cannot com- 
prise, voices and music which time cannot 
ravish away, odors which are never dissipated, 
a feast which is never consumed, a blessing 
which eternity bestoweth, but eternity shall 
14 



166 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

never see at an end. And let this suffice for 
answer to this fourth objection. 

Object 5. "My afflictions are very great, 
how then can I hold my peace ? Though 
they were many, yet if they were not great, I 
would be mute ; but, alas ! they are very, very 
greatj Oh! how can I be silent under them? 
How can I now lay my hand upon my 
mouth?" 

To this I answer, 1. Though they are great, 
yet they are not so great as thy sins, thyself 
being judge ; therefore hold thy peace. Read 
Ps. cvi ; Neh. ix. "And after all that is 
come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our 
great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast, 
punished us less than our iniquities deserve," 
Ezra ix. 13. They that are under the sense 
and guilt of great sins, have cause to be silent 
under their greatest sufferings. Never com- 
plain that thy afflictions are great, till thou canst 
say, that thy sins are not great; it is but 
justice that great afflictions should attend great 
sins, therefore be quiet. Thy sins are like 
great rocks, and mighty mountains ; but so are 
not thy afflictions, therefore lay thy hand upon 
thy mouth. The remembrance of great sins 
should cool and calm a man's spirit under his 
greatest troubles ; and if the sense of thy great 
sins will not stop thy mouth, and silence thy 
heart, I know not what will. 

2. It may be they are not great, if you look 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 167 

upon them with scripture spectacles. Flesh 
and blood many times look upon mole-hills as 
mountains, and scratches upon the hand as stabs 
at the heart ; we make elephants of flies, and 
of little pigmies we frame giants. Carnal 
reason often looks upon troubles through false 
glasses. As there are some glasses that will 
make great things seem little, so there are 
others that will make little things seem great ; 
and it may be that thou lookest upon thy afflic- 
tions through one of them. Look upon thy 
afflictions in the glass of the word, look upon 
them in a scripture dress, and then they will be 
found to be but little ; he that shall look into a 
gospel glass, shall be able to say, Heavy afflic- 
tions are light, long afflictions are short, bitter 
afflictions are sweet, and great afflictions are 
little, 2 Cor. iv. 16 — 18. It is good to make 
a judgment of your afflictions, by a gospel 
light and by a gospel rule. 

Men that look not upon their afflictions in a 
scripture dress, will be afraid even of the 
shadow of trouble ; they will cry out, No afflic- 
tion like our affliction, no burden like our bur- 
den, no cross like our cross, no loss like our 
loss ; but one look into a gospel glass would 
make them change their note. Our troubles 
are not always so great as we fancy them to be. 
When Hagar's bottle of water was spent, she 
sat down and fell a weeping, as if she had been 
utterly undone ; her provision and her pa- 



168 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

tience, her bottle and her hope, were both out 
together, Gen. xxi. 15 — 19 ; but her afflic- 
tion was not so great as she imagined ; for 
there was a well of water near, though for a 
time she saw it not. So, many christians eye 
the empty bottle, the cross, the burden that is 
at present upon them, and then they fall a 
weeping, whining, complaining, repining, and 
murmuring, as if they were utterly undone ; 
and yet a well of water, a well of comfort, a 
well of refreshment, a well of deliverance is 
near, and their case no way so sad nor so bad 
as they imagine it to be. 

3. The greater thy afflictions are, the nearer 
is deliverance to thee. When these waters rise 
high, then salvation comes upon the wing ; 
w T hen thy troubles are very great, then mercy 
will ride post to deliver thee. " For the Lord 
shall judge his people, and repent himself for 
his servants, when he seeth that their power" 
(or hand) " is gone, and there is none shut up 
or left," Deut. xxxii. 36. Israel of old, and 
England of late years, hath often experienced 
this truth. Wine was nearest, when the water- 
pots were filled with water to the brim ; so 
oftentimes mercy is nearest, deliverance is 
nearest, when our afflictions are at the highest ; 
when a christian is brimful of troubles, then the 
wine of consolation is at hand : therefore hold 
thy peace, murmur not, but sit silent before 
the Lord* 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 169 

4. They are not great, if compared to the 
glory that shall be -revealed. "For I reckon 
that the sufferings of this present time are not 
worthy to be compared with the glory that shall 
be revealed in us," Rom. viii. 18. The 
apostle, upon casting up his accounts, con- 
cludes, that all the pains, troubles, trials, and 
torments, that we meet with in this world, are 
not to be put in balance with the glory of heav- 
en. As the globe of the earth, which, after 
the mathematician's account, is many thousands 
of miles in compass, yet being compared to 
the greatness of the starry sky's circumference, 
is but a centre, or a little speck : so the trou- 
bles, afflictions, and sorrows of this life, in re- 
spect to eternal happiness and blessedness, are 
to be reputed as nothing, they are but as the 
prick of a pin to the starry heavens. They 
that have heard most of the glory of heaven, 
have not heard one quarter of that which the 
saints shall find there. That glory is incon- 
ceivable and inexpressible. Such is the splen- 
dor, the brightness, the glory, the happiness, 
that is reserved for the saints in heaven, that 
had I all the tongues of men on earth, and all 
the excellences of the angels in heaven, yet 
should I not be able to conceive, nor to ex- 
press, that vision of glory to you ; it is best 
hastening thither, that we may feel and enjoy 
that which we shall never be able to declare, 
Jude 6, 7 ; Matt, x 15 ; xi. 23, 24. 
14* 



170 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

5. They are not great, if compared with the 
afflictions and torments of such of the damned, 
who, when they were in this world, never 
sinned at so high a rate as thou hast done. 
Doubtless there are many now in hell, who 
never sinned against such clear light as thou 
hast done, nor against such special love as thou 
hast done, nor against such choice means as 
thou hast done, nor against such precious mer- 
cies as thou hast done, nor against such singular 
remedies as thou hast done. Certainly there 
are many now roaring in everlasting burnings, 
who never sinned against such deep convic- 
tions of conscience as thou hast done, nor 
against such close reasonings of the Spirit as 
thou hast done, nor against such free offers of 
mercy, and rich tenders of grace, as thou hast 
done, nor against such sweet wooings, and mul- 
tiplied entreaties of a bleeding, dying Saviour, 
as thou hast done ; therefore hold thy peace. 
What are thy afflictions, thy torments, to the 
torments of the damned, whose torments are 
numberless, easeless, remediless, and endless ; 
whose pains are without intermission or miti- 
gation ; who have weeping for the first woe, 
and gnashing of teeth for the second, and the 
gnawing worm for the third, and intolerable 
pain for the fourth, and an everlasting aliena- 
tion and separation from God for the fifth ! 
Ah, christian ! how canst thou seriously think 
on these things, and not lay thy hand upon thy 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 171 

mouth, when thou art under the greatest suffer- 
ings ? Thy sins have been far greater than 
many of theirs, and thy greatest afflictions are 
but a flea-bite to theirs ; therefore be silent 
before the Lord. 

Lastly, If thy afflictions are so great, then 
what madness and folly it will be for thee to 
make them greater by murmuring ! Every act 
of murmuring will but add unto the load, and 
burden to burden. The Israelites under great 
afflictions fell to murmuring, and their mur- 
muring proved their utter ruin, as you may see 
in Numb. xiv. Murmuring will but put God 
upon heating the furnace seven times hotter ; 
therefore hold thy peace. But of this I have 
spoken sufficiently already. 

Object. 6. u Oh! but my afflictions are 
greater than other men's afflictions are, and 
how then can I be silent ? Oh ! there is no 
affliction like unto my affliction, how can I hold 
my peace ?" 

I answer, 1 . It may be thy sins are greater 
than other men's sins : if thou hast sinned 
against more light, more love, more mercies, 
more experiences, more promises than others, 
no wonder thy afflictions are greater than 
others. If this be thy case, thou hast more 
cause to be mute than to murmur ; and cer- 
tainly, if thou dost but seriously look into the 
black book of thy conscience, thou wilt find 
greater sins there, than any thou canst charge 



172 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

upon any person or persons upon earth. 
Never complain that thy afflictions are greater 
than others, except thou canst evidence that 
thy sins are less than others. 

2. It may be thou art under some present 
distemper, that disables thee from making a 
right judgment of the different dealings of God 
with thyself and others. When the mind is 
distempered, and the brain troubled, many 
things seem to be that are not, and then little 
things seem very great. Oh ! the strange pas- 
sions, the strange imaginations, the strange 
conclusions that attend a distempered judg- 
ment. 

When the mind is disturbed, men many 
times say they know not what, and do they 
know not what. It may be, when these clouds 
are blown over, and thy mind cleared, and thy 
judgment settled, thou wilt be of another opin- 
ion. The supplicant woman appealed from 
drunken king Philip, to sober king Philip. It 
is good to appeal from a distempered mind, to 
a clear, composed mind ; for that is the way 
to make a righteous judgment of all the dis- 
pensations of God, both towards ourselves and 
towards others. 

3. It may be that the Lord sees that it is 
very needful that thy afflictions should be 
greater than others ; it may be thy heart is 
harder than other men's hearts, and prouder 
and stouter than other men's hearts ; it may 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 173 

be thy heart is more impure than others, and 
more carnal than others, or else more passion- 
ate and more worldly than others, or more de- 
ceitful and hypocritical than others, or more 
cold and careless than others, or more secure 
than others, or more formal and lukewarm than 
others. Now, if this be thy case, certainly 
God sees it very necessary, for the breaking 
up of thy hard heart, and the humbling of thy 
proud heart, and the cleansing of thy foul 
heart, and the spiritualizing of thy carnal heart, 
&c, that thy afflictions should be greater than 
others ; and therefore hold thy peace. Where 
the disease is strong, the physic must be strong, 
or else the cure will never be wrought. God 
is a wise Physician, and he would never give 
strong physic, if weaker could effect the cure, 
Isa. xxvii. 8. The more rusty the iron is, 
the oftener we put it into the fire to purify it ; 
and the more crooked it is, the more blows, 
and the harder blow T s, we give to strengthen it ; 
thou hast been long gathering rust, and there- 
fore if God deal thus with thee, thou hast no 
cause to complain. 

4. Though thy afflictions are greater than 
this and that particular man's afflictions, yet, 
doubtless, there are many thousands in the 
world, whose afflictions are greater than thine. 
Canst thou seriously consider the sore calam- 
ities and miseries that the devouring sword hath 
brought upon many thousand christians in for- 



174 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

eign parts, and say, that thy afflictions are 
greater than theirs ? Surely no. Such are the 
dismal effects of war ; the sword knows no 
difference betwixt the innocent and the guilty ; 
betwixt young and old, bond and free, male and 
female ; betwixt the precious and the vile, the 
godly and the profane, the prince and the sub- 
ject, the nobleman and the beggar ; the sword 
eats the flesh, and drinks the blood of all sorts and 
sexes, without putting any difference betwixt 
the one and the other. The poor protestants 
under the duke of Savoy, and those in Poland 
and Denmark, Germany, and several other 
parts, have found it so; many of their wounds 
are not healed to this day. Who can retain, 
in his fresh and bleeding memory, the dreadful 
work that the sword of war hath made in this 
nation, and not say, Surely many thousands 
have been greater sufferers than myself! they 
have resisted unto blood, but so have not I, 
Heb. xii. 4. 

5. As thy afflictions are greater than other 
men's, so it may be thy mercies are greater 
than other men's mercies ; and if so, thou hast 
no cause but to hold thy peace. As Job's 
afflictions were greater than other men's, so his 
mercies were greater than other men's ; and 
Job wisely sets one against another, and then 
lays his hand upon his mouth, Job i. It may 
be thou hast had more health and more strength 
than others, more prosperity and more smiling 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 175 

providences than others, more good days and 
more sweet and comfortable relations than 
others ; if this be thy case, thou hast much 
cause to be mute, thou hast no cause to mur- 
mur ; if now thy winter nights be longer than 
others, remember thy summer days have form- 
erly been longer than others ; and therefore 
hold thy peace. But, 

Lastly, By great afflictions the Lord may 
increase thy graces, and thy name and fame in 
the world. By Job's great afflictions, God 
did greatly augment his faith and patience, 
proved his integrity, increased his wisdom, 
knowledge, and experience, and heightened his 
name and fame in the world, as you all know 7 
that have read his book. Bonds and afflictions 
waited on Paul in every city, Acts xx. 23 ; 
2 Cor. xi. His afflictions and sufferings were 
very great, but by them the Lord increased 
his zeal, his courage, his confidence, his reso- 
lution, and his name and fame, both among 
sinners and saints. Certainly, if thou art dear 
to Christ, he will improve thee in spirituals, 
by all the great afflictions that are upon thee ; 
he will raise thy faith, inflame thy love, quick- 
en thy hope, brighten thy zeal, perfect thy pa- 
tience and perfume thy name, and make it like 
a precious ointment, Prov. xxii. 1 ; Eccl. vii. 
1 , like a precious ointment poured forth ; so 
that good men and bad men shall say, Lo, 
here is a christian indeed, here is a man more 



176 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

worth than the gold of Ophir ; therefore hold 
thy peace, though thy afflictions are greater 
than others. 

Object. 7. "I would be silent, but my out- 
ward affliction is attended with sore tempta- 
tions. God hath not only outwardly afflicted 
me, but Satan is let loose to buffet me ; and 
therefore how can I be silent ? How can I 
hold my peace now I am fallen under manifold 
temptations ?" To this I answer, 

1 . No man is the less beloved because he 
is tempted, Eph. vi. 12, nay, those that God 
loves best are usually tempted most ; witness 
David, Job, Peter, Paul ; yea, and Christ 
himself, Matt, iv., who, as he was beloved 
above all others, so he was tempted above all 
others. He was tempted to question his Son- 
ship ; he was tempted to the worst idolatry, 
even to worship the devil himself; to the 
greatest infidelity, to distrust his Father's prov- 
idence, and to use unlawful means for neces- 
sary supplies ; and to self-murder — cc Cast thy- 
self down," &c. Those that were once glo- 
rious on earth, and are now triumphing in 
heaven, have been sorely tempted and assault- 
ed. Our whole life, saith Austin, is nothing 
but a temptation ; the best men have been 
worst tempted ; therefore hold thy peace. 

2. Temptation resisted and bewailed, will 
never hurt you, nor harm you ; distasted temp- 
tations seldom or never prevail ; so long as the 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 177 

soul distastes them, and the will remains firmly 
averse against them, they can do no hurt; so 
long as the language of the soul is, " Get thee 
behind me, Satain," Matt. xvi. 23, the soul is 
safe. It is not Satan's tempting, but my as- 
senting, it is not his enticing, but my yielding, 
that harms me ; temptations may be troubles 
to my mind, but they are not sins upon my 
soul, whilst I am in arms against them. If 
thy heart trembles, and thy flesh quakes, when 
Satan tempts, thy condition is good ; if Satan's 
temptations be thy greatest afflictions, his 
temptations shall never worst thee, nor harm 
thee ; and therefore, if this be thy case, hold 
thy peace. 

3. Temptations are rather hopeful eviden- 
ces that thy state is good, that thou art dear to 
God, and that it shall go well with thee for 
ever, than otherwise. God had but one Son 
without corruption, Heb. ii. 17, 18, but he 
has none without temptation. Pirates make 
the fiercest assaults upon those vessels that are 
most richly laden ; so doth Satan upon those 
souls that are most richly laden with the trea- 
sures of grace, with the riches of glory. When 
nothing will satisfy the soul, but a full depart- 
ure out of Egypt, from the bondage and sla- 
very of sin, and that the soul is firmly resolved 
upon a march for Canaan, then Satan, Pha- 
raoh-like, Exod. xiv. 6, will furiously pursue 
after the soul with horses and chariots, that is, 
15 



178 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

with a whole army of temptations. # Well, a 
tempted soul, when it is worst with him, may 
safely argue thus, If God were not my Friend, 
Satan would not be so much my enemy ; if 
there were not something of God within me. 
Satan would never make such attempts to 
storm me ; if the love of God were not set 
upon me, Satan would never shoot so many 
fiery darts to wound me ; if the heart of God 
were not towards me, the hand of Satan would 
not be so strong against me. When Beza 
was tempted, he made this answer, Whatso- 
ever I was, Satan, I am now in Christ, a new 
creature, and that is it which troubles thee ; I 
see thou dost envy me the grace of my Saviour. 
Satan's malice to tempt is not sufficient ground 
for a christian to dispute God's love upon ; if 
it were, there is no saint on earth that would 
quietly possess Divine favor a week, a day, or 
an hour. The jailer is quiet when his prison- 
er is in bolts ; but if he be escaped, then he 
pursues him with hue and cry : you know how 
to apply it. Men hate not the picture of a 
toad, the wolf flies not upon a painted sheep ; 
no more doth Satan upon those he hath in 
chains ; therefore hold thy peace, though thou 
art inwardly tempted, as well as outwardly 
afflicted. 



* Israel going into Egypt, had no opposition; but travel- 
ling into Canaan, they were never free. 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 179 

4. Whilst Satan is tempting thee, Christ in 
the court of glory is interceding for thee. 
" And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, 
Satan hath desired to have you, that he may 
sift you as wheat : but I have prayed for thee, 
that thy faith fail not," Luke xxii. 31, 32. 
Satan would fain have been shaking him up 
and down, as wheat is shaken in a fan ; but 
Christ's intercession frustrates Satan's designed 
temptations. Whenever Satan stands at our 
right hand to tempt us, Christ stands at his 
Father's to intercede for us ; " He ever lives 
to make intercession," Heb. vii. 25. Some 
of the learned think, that Christ intercedes only 
by virtue of his merits ; others think, that it is 
done only with his mouth ; probably it may be 
done both ways, the rather because he hath a 
tongue, as also a whole glorified body, in heav- 
en ; and is it likely, that the mouth which 
pleaded so much for us on earth, should be 
altogether silent for us in heaven ? Christ is a 
person of the highest honor, he is the greatest 
favorite in the court of heaven, he always 
stands between us and clanger ; if there be any 
evil plotted or designed against us by Satan, 
the great accuser of the brethren, he foresees 
it, and by his intercession prevents it. When 
Satan puts in his pleas, and commences suit 
upon suit against us, Christ still undertakes our 
cause, he answers all his pleas, and non-suits 
Satan at every turn, and in spite of hell he 



180 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

keeps us up in Divine favor. When Satan 
pleads, Lord, here are such and such sins that 
thy children have committed, and here are 
such and such duties that they have omitted, 
and here are such and such mercies that they 
have not improved, and here are such and such 
ordinances that they have slighted, and here 
are such and such motions of the spirit which 
they have quenched, Divine justice answers, 
All this is true ; but Christ hath appeared on 
their behalf, he hath pleaded their cause, he 
hath fully and fairly answered whatever hath 
been objected, and given complete satisfaction 
to the utmost farthing. So that there is no 
accusation nor condemnation that can stand in 
force against them ; upon which account the 
apostle triumphs — u Who is he that condemn- 
ed ? It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that 
is risen again, who is even at the right hand of 
God, who also maketh intercession for us," 
Rom. viii. 34. Christ's intercession should 
be the soul's anchorhold in time of temptation; 
in the day of thy temptation thou needest not 
be disturbed nor disquieted, but in peace and 
patience possess thine own soul, considering 
what a Friend thou hast in the court of glory, 
and how he is most active for thee, when Sa- 
tan is most busy in tempting thee. 

Lastly, All temptations that the saints meet 
with, shall work for their good ; they shall be 
for their gain ; the profit and advantage that 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 181 

will redound to tempted souls, by all their 
temptations, is very great. Now, this will ap- 
pear to be a most certain truth, by an induc- 
tion of particulars, thus : 

(1.) By temptations God multiplies and in- 
creases his children's spiritual experience, the 
increase of which is better than the increase of 
gold ; # in the school of temptation God gives 
his children the greatest experience of his 
power supporting them, of his word comfort- 
ing them, of his mercy warning then, of his 
wisdom counselling them, of his faithfulness 
joying in them, and of his grace strengthening 
them. " My grace is sufficient for thee," 
2 Cor. xii. 9. Paul never experienced so 
deeply what almighty power was, what the ev- 
erlasting arms of mercy were, and what in- 
finite grace and goodness were, as when he 
was under the bufferings of Satan. 

(2.) All their temptations shall be physi- 
cal ; their temptations shall be happy preven- 
tions of great abominations. " Lest I should 
be exalted, — lest I should be exalted, ? 'f 2 Cor. 
xii. 7. It is twice in that one verse; he be- 
gins with it, and he ends with it : if he had not 
been buffeted, he might have been more highly 
exalted in his own conceit than he was before 

* Frequent engagements add to the soldier's skill, and 
much increase his experience. 

t Those soldiers that are most in fighting are least in 
sinning, and most free from diseases. 
15* 



182 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

in his ecstacy. Ah, tempted souls ! you say 
you are naught, very naught; but, had it not 
been for the school of temptation you might 
have been quite naught before this time. You 
say you are sick, you are even sick to death ; 
why, your sickness had before this time killed 
you, had not temptations been physical to 
you ; you are bad under temptations, but, 
doubtless, you would have been much worse, 
had not God made temptation a diet-drink for 
you. 

(3.) Temptations shall much promote the 
exercise of grace. As the spring in the watch 
sets all the wheels a-going, and as Solomon's 
virtuous w r oman set all her maidens to work ; 
so temptation sets faith on work, and love on 
work, and repentance on work, and hope on 
work, and holy fear on work, and godly sor- 
row on w r ork. As the wind sets the mill at 
work, so the wind of temptation sets the graces 
of the saints a-going. Now faith runs to Christ, 
pleads the blood of Christ, looks to the recom- 
pense of reward, and takes the sword of the 
spirit, &c. ; now love cleaves to Christ, hangs 
upon Christ, and will fight it out to the death 
for Christ ; now hope flees to the horns of the 
sanctuary, puts on her helmet, and casts her 
anchor upon that within the veil, &c. Grace 
is never more acted than when a christian is 
most tempted. Satan made a bow of Job's 
wife, (of his rib, as Chrysostom speaks,) and 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 183 

shot a temptation by her at Job, thinking to 
have shot him to the heart — u Curse God, 
and die ; )? but the activity of Job's graces was 
a breastplate that made him temptation-proof. 
The devil tempting Bonaventure, told him he 
was a reprobate, and therefore persuaded him 
to drink in the present pleasures of this life ; 
for, saith he, thou art excluded from the future 
joys with God in heaven. Bonaventure's 
graces being active, he answered, No, not so, 
Satan ; if I must not enjoy God after this life, 
let me enjoy him as much as I can in this life. 
(4.) By temptations the Lord will make 
you the more serviceable and useful to others ;* 
none so fit and able to relieve, to sympathize 
with, to succor, to counsel, to pity, to sup- 
port, to bear with, and to comfort tempted 
souls, as those who have been in the school of 
temptations. " Blessed be God, even the 
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father 
of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who 
comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we 
may be able to comfort them which are in any 
trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves 
are comforted of God," 2 Cor. i. 3, 4. By 
temptations God trains up his servants, and 
fits and capacitates them to succor and shelter 
their fellow-brethren. One tempted christian, 

* The most skilful commanders and leaders are of 
greatest service and use to the soldiers. 



184 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

saith Luther, is more profitable and useful to 
other christians, than a hundred (I may add, a 
thousand) that have not known the depths of 
Satan, that have not been in the school of temp- 
tation, Rev. ii. 24. He that is master of arts 
in the school of temptation, hath learned an 
art to comfort, to succor, and gently to handle 
tempted and distressed souls, infinitely beyond 
what all human arts can reach ; no doctor like 
him that has been a doctor in the school of 
temptation ; all other doctors are but illiterate 
dunces to him. 

(5.) It is an honor to the saints to be tempt- 
ed, and, in the issue, to have an honorable con- 
quest over the tempter. It was a great honor 
to David that he should be put to fight hand to 
hand with Goliah, 1 Sam. xvii., and, in the 
issue, to overcome him ; but it was a far great- 
er honor to Job and Paul, that they should be 
put to combat in the open field with Satan him- 
self, Job i. ii. ; 2 Cor. xii. 7 — 10, and, in the 
close, to gain a famous conquest over him, as 
they did. It was a very great honor to Da- 
vid^ three mighty men, that, in jeopardy of 
their lives, they broke through the host of the 
Philistines, 2 Sam. xxiii. 13 — 17, to bring 
water to David out of the well of Bethlehem, 
and did effect it in spite of all the strength and 
power of their enemies, though it were to the 
extremest hazard of their blood and lives ; but 
it is a far greater honor to the saints to be fur- 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 185 

nished with a spirit of strength, courage, and 
valor, to break through an army of temptations, 
and, in the close, to triumph over them ; and 
yet, this honor have all the saints. " But God 
is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempt- 
ed above that ye are able ; but will, with the 
temptation, also make a w T ay to escape, that ye 
may be able to bear it," 1 Cor. x. 13. " And 
the God of peace shall tread Satan under your 
feet shortly," Rom. xvi. 20. "I write unto 
you, fathers, because ye have known him that 
is from the beginning. I write unto you, young 
men, because ye have overcome the wicked 
one. I write unto you, children, because ye 
have known the Father. I have written unto 
you, fathers, because ye have known him that 
is from the beginning. I have w r ritten unto 
you, young men, because ye are strong, and 
the word of God abideth in you, and ye have 
overcome the wicked one," 1 John ii. 13, 14. 
"We know that whosoever is born of God 
sinneth not," that is, "that sin that is unto 
death," ver. 16; or he sinneth not as other 
men do, delightfully, greedily, customarily, 
resolvedly, impenitently, &c. "But he that 
is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that 
wicked one toucheth him not," 1 John v. 18. 
The glorious victory that the people of God 
had over Pharaoh, Exod. xiv., and his great 
host, was a figure of the victory that the saints 
shall obtain over Satan and his instruments ; 



186 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

which is clear from Rev. xv. 3, where we 
have the song of Moses and of the Lamb. 
But why the song of Moses and of the Lamb ? 
but to hint this to us, that the overthrow of 
Pharaoh was a figure of the overthrow of Sa- 
tan, and the triumphal song of Moses was a 
figure of that song which the saints shall sing 
for their overthrow of Satan. As certainly as 
Israel overcame Pharaoh, so certainly shall 
every true Israelite overcome Satan. The 
Romans were worsted in many fights, but were 
never overcome in a set war ; at length they 
overcame all their enemies. Though a chris- 
tian may be worsted by Satan in some particu- 
lar skirmishes, yet, at the end, he is sure of an 
honorable conquest. God puts a great deal of 
honor upon a poor soul, when he brings him 
into the open field to fight it out with Satan ; 
by fighting, he overcomes, he gains the victory, 
he triumphs over Satan, and leads captivity 
captive. It is the glory of a christian to be 
made strong to resist, and to have his resistance 
crowned with a happy conquest. 

(6.) By temptations the Lord will make 
his people more frequent and more abundant in 
the work of prayer : every temptation proves 
a strong alarm to prayer. When Paul was in 
the school of temptation he prayed thrice, that 
is, often; days of temptation are days of great 
supplication. Christians usually pray most 
when they are tempted most ; they are most 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 187 

busy with God when Satan is most busy with 
them ; a christian is most upon his knees when 
Satan stands most at his elbow. 

Augustine was a man much tempted, and a 
man much in prayer. Holy prayer, says he, 
is a shelter to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and 
a scourge to the devil. 

Luther was a man under manifold temptations, 
and a man much in prayer ; he is said to have 
spent three hours every day in prayer ; he used 
to say, that prayer was the best book in his 
study. 

Chrysostom was much in the school of tempt- 
ation, and delighted much in prayer. Oh ! 
says he, it is more bitter than death to be 
spoiled of prayer ; and, hereupon, (as he ob- 
serves,) Daniel chose rather to run the hazard 
of his life, than to lose his prayer. But, 

(7.) By temptations the Lord will make his 
people more and more conformable to the im- 
age of his Son. Christ was much tempted, he 
was often in the school of temptation ; and the 
more a christian is tempted, the more he will 
be transformed into the likeness of Christ. Of 
all men in the world, tempted souls must resem- 
ble Christ, in meekness, holiness, heavenliness, 
&c. The image of Christ is most fairly 
stamped upon tempted souls ; tempted souls 
are much in looking up to Jesus ; and every 
gracious look upon Christ changes the soul 
more and more into the image of Christ, Heb. 



18S THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

xii. 1, 2; 2 Cor. iii. 18; Heb. ii. 17, 18. 
Tempted souls experience much of the suc- 
corings of Christ; and the more they experi- 
ence the sweet of the succorings of Christ, the 
more they grow up into the likeness of Christ ; 
temptations are the tools by which the Father 
of spirits doth more and more carve, form, and 
fashion, his precious saints into the similitude 
and likeness of his dearest Son. 

Lastly, Take many things in one, God, by 
temptations, makes sin more hateful, the world 
less delightful, and relations less hurtful. By 
temptations God discovers to us our own weak- 
ness, and the creatures' insufficiency, in the 
hour of temptation, to help us, or to succor 
us ; by temptations God will brighten our chris- 
tian armor, and make us stand more upon our 
christian watch, and keep us closer to a suc- 
coring Christ ; by temptations the Lord will 
make his ordinances to be more highly prized, 
and heaven to be more earnestly desired. 
Now, seeing that temptations shall work so 
eminently for the saints' good, why should not 
christians be mute and silent ? why should they 
not hold their peace, and lay their hand upon 
their mouth, though their afflictions are attended 
with great temptations ! 

Object. 8. "Oh! but God hath deserted 
me ; he hath forsaken me ; and he that should 
comfort my soul stands afar off; how can I be 
silent ? The Lord hath hid his face from me ; 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. l8d 

elouds are gathered about me ; God hath turned 

his back upon me ; how can I hold my peace ? " 

Supposing that the desertion is real, and not 

in appearance only, as sometimes it falls out, 

1 answer, 

1. It hath been the common lot, portion, 
and condition, of the choicest saints in this 
world, to be deserted and forsaken of God, 
Ps. xxx. 6, 7 } lxxvii. and Ixxxviii. ; Job 
xxiii. 8, 9 ; Cant. hi. 1 — 3 ; v. 6, 7 ; Isa. viii. 
17 ; Micah vii. 7 — >9. If God deals no worse 
with thee than he has dealt with his bosom 
friends, with his choicest jewels, thou hast no 
reason to complain. But, 

2. God's forsaking of thee is only partial, it 
is not total. God may forsake his people in 
part, but he never wholly forsakes them ; he 
may forsake them in respect of his quickening, 
and of his comforting presence^ but he never 
forsakes them in respect of his supporting pres- 
ence. " My grace is sufficient for thee, for 
my strength is made perfect in weakness, " 

2 Cor. xii. 9. " The steps of a good man are 
ordered by the Lord, and he delighteth in his 
way* Though he fall, he shall not be utterly 
cast down, for the Lord upholdeth him with 
his hand," Ps. xxxvii. 23, 24. God's sup- 
porting hand of grace is still under his people, 
as the nurse upholds the little child. " My 
soul foltoweth hard after thee : thy right hand 
upholdeth me," Psa. lxiii* 8. Christ has al- 

i6 



190 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

ways one hand to uphold his people, and an- 
other hand to embrace them, Cant. ii. 6. The 
everlasting arms of God are always underneath 
his people, Deut. xxxiii. 27. And this the 
saints have always found ; witness David, He- 
man, Asaph, Job, &c. Though the children 
of God are sometimes under clouds of afflic- 
tions, yet the Sun of mercy, the Sun of right- 
eousness, is never quite out of sight. But, 

3. Though God hath forsaken thee, yet his 
love abides and continues constant to thee. 
He loves thee with an everlasting love, Jer. 
xxxi. 3. Where he loves, he loves to the 
end, John xiii. 1. " But Zion said, The 
Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath for- 
gotten me," Isa. xlix. 14 — 16. But was not 
Zion mistaken ? Yes. " Can a woman forget 
her sucking child, that she should not have com- 
passion on the son of her womb ? yea, they 
may forget, yet will not I forget thee. Be- 
hold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my 
hands, thy walls are continually before me." 
As persons engrave the mark, name, or picture, 
of those whom they dearly love upon some 
stone that they wear at their breasts, or upon 
some ring that they wear on their finger ; so 
hath God engraven Zion upon the palms of his 
hands ; she was still in his eye, and always dear 
to his heart, though she thought not so. As 
Joseph's heart was full of love to his brethren, 
even then when he spake roughly to them, and 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 191 

withdrew himself from them, (for he was fain 
to go aside, and ease his heart by weeping,) so 
the heart of God is full of love to his people, 
even then when he seems to be most displeased 
with them, and to turn his back upon them. 
Though God's dispensations may be changea- 
ble towards his people, yet his gracious dispo- 
sition is unchangeable towards them. When 
God puts the blackest veil of all upon his face, 
yet then his heart is full of love to his people, 
then his bowels are yearning towards them. 
" Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant 
child ? for since I spake against him, I do ear- 
nestly remember him still : therefore my bowels 
are troubled for him ; I will surely have mercy 
upon him, saith the Lord," Jer. xxxi. 20. 
The mother's bowels cannot more yearn after 
the tender babe, than God's do after his dis- 
tressed ones. As Moses' mother, when she 
had put him into the ark of bulrushes, Exod. 
ii., wept to see the babe weep, and, when she 
, was turned from him, she could not but cast a 
weeping eye of love towards him ; so, when 
God turns aside from his people, yet he cannot 
but cast an eye of love towards them. " How 
shall I give thee up, O Ephraim ?" &c. Hos. 
xi. 8. Here are four several "hows" in the 
text, the like not to be found in the whole book 
of God. I am even at a stand ; justice calls 
for vengeance, but mercy interposes ; my bow- 
els yearn, my heart melts ; oh ! how shall I 



192 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

give thee up ? Oh ! I cannot give thee up, I 
will not give thee up. God's love is always 
like himself, unchangeable ; his love is ever- 
lasting; it is a love that never decays, nor 
waxes cold. 

4. Though the Lord hath hid his face from 
thee, yet certainly thou hast his secret presence 
with thee, Ps. xxiii. 4; cxxxix. God is 
present when he is seemingly absent : " The 
Lord was in this place, and I knew it not," 
saith Jacob, Gen. xxviii. 16. The sun many 
times shines when we do not see it, and the 
husband is many times in the house when the 
wife does not know it. God is in thy house, 
he is in thy heart, though thou seest him not, 
though thou feelest him not, though thou hearest 
him not. "I will never leave thee, nor for- 
sake thee," Heb. xiii. 5; or, as it may be 
rendered according to the Greek, u I will not, 
not leave thee, neither will I not, not forsake 
thee." Art thou not now drawn out to prize 
God, and Christ, and his love above all the 
world ? Yes. Art thou not now drawn out 
to give the Lord many a secret visit, in a cor- 
ner behind the door, in some dark hole, where 
none can see thee, nor hear thee, but the Lord ? 
Yes. Are there not strong breathings, pant- 
ings, and longings after a clearer vision of God, 
and after a fuller fruition of God ? Yes. Art 
thou not more affected with the drawings of 
Christ, than thou art with the greatest afflictions 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 193 

that ever befel thee ? Yes. Austin, upon that 
answer of God to Moses, u Thou canst not 
see my face and live," Exod. xxxiii. 20, makes 
this quick and sweet reply, u Then, Lord, let 
me die, that I may see thy face." Dost thou 
not often tell God, that there is no punishment 
like the punishment of loss, and no hell like 
that of being forsaken of God ? Yes. Dost 
thou not find a secret power in thy soul, draw- 
ing thee forth to struggle with God, to lay hold 
on God, and patiently to wait on God, till he 
shall return unto thee, and lift up the light of 
his countenance upon thee ? Yes. Well, then, 
thou mayest be confident, that thou hast a se- 
cret and blessed presence of God with thee, 
though God, in regard of his comforting pres- 
ence, may be departed from thee ; nothing 
below a secret presence of God with a man's 
spirit, will keep him waiting and working till 
the Sun of righteousness shines upon him. If 
any vain persons should put that deriding ques- 
tion to thee, Where is thy God ? thou mayest 
safely and boldly answer them, My God is 
here, he is nigh me, he is round about me, yea, 
he is in the midst of me : " The Lord thy God 
in the midst of thee is mighty ; he will save, he 
will rejoice over thee with joy ; he will rest in 
his love ; he will joy over thee with singing," 
Zeph. iii. 17. The bush, which was a type 
of the church, consumed not all the while it 
burned with fire, because God was in the midst 
16* 



194 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

of it. It is no argument, that Christ is not in 
the ship, because tempests and storms arise. 

5. Though God be gone, yet he will return 
again ; though your sun be now set in a cloud, 
yet it will rise again ; though sorrow may abide 
for a night, yet joy comes in the morning. A 
christian's mourning shall last but till morning : 
" He will turn again, he will have compassion 
upon us," Micah vii. 19. u It was but a little 
that I passed from them, but I found him whom 
my soul loveth : I held him, and would not let 
him go," &c. Cant. iii. 4. " In the multitude 
of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight 
my soul," Psa. xciv. 19. " For a small mo- 
ment have I forsaken thee, but with great mer- 
cies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid 
my face from thee for a moment; but with 
everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, 
saith the Lord thy Redeemer. For the moun- 
tains shall depart, and the hills be removed, 
but my kindness shall not depart from thee; 
neither shall the covenant of my peace be re- 
moved, saitH the Lord, that hath mercy on 
thee," Isa. liv. 7, 8. 10. God will not suffer 
his whole displeasure to rise against his people, 
neither will he forsake them totally or finally : 
the saints shall taste but some sips of the cup 
of God's wrath, sinners shall drink the dregs ; 
their storm shall end in a calm, and their win- 
ter night shall be turned into a summer's day. 
There was a woman, who was thirteen years 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 195 

under desertion, which was so vehement, that, 
for the most part of her time, she was fain to 
keep her bed through weakness ; a godly min- 
ister, who was affected with her condition, 
went to comfort her, and to pray with her; 
but when he came and offered to do it, she 
shrieked out, utterly refusing, and forbidding 
him to pray with her ; for, said she, I have too 
many abused mercies to answer for already ; 
yet he would not be put off, but prayed by 
her, and so prevailed with God on her behalf, 
that the next morning she was delivered from 
all her fears, and had such exceeding joy, that 
the like has "rarely been heard of ; the Lord, 
that had been long withdrawn from her, returned 
at length in a way of singular mercy to her. 
-There was another precious woman, who was 
several years deserted, and hearing a godly 
minister preach, she of a sudden fell down, 
overwhelmed w T ith joy, crying out, Oh ! he is 
come whom my soul loveth ! and for divers 
days after, she was filled with such exceeding 
joys, and had such gracious and singular rav- 
ishing expressions so fluently coming from her, 
that many came to hear the rare manifestations 
of God's grace in her ; the lowest of her pious 
expressions did exceed the highest that ever 
the minister had read in the book of martyrs. 
But, 

6. God's deserting, God's forsaking his 
people, shall many ways work for their good. 



196 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

God, by withdrawing from his people, will 
prepare and fit them for greater refreshings, 
manifestations, and consolations. " God hath 
forsaken him; persecute and take him, for 
there is none to deliver him." But shall this 
forlorn condition work for his good ? Yes : 
" Thou which hast showed me great and sore 
troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt 
bring me up again from the depths of the earth. 
Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort 
me on every side," Psa. lxxi. 11. 20, 21. 
When Joseph's brethren were in their greatest 
distress, then Joseph makes known himself 
most fully to them; so doth Christ, our spirit- 
ual Joseph, to his people. Hudson the mar- 
tyr, deserted at the stake, went from under his 
chain, and having prayed earnestly, was com- 
forted immediately, and suffered valiantly. 

By God's withdrawing from his people, he 
prevents his people's withdrawing from him; 
and so by an affliction he prevents sin ; for 
God to withdraw from me, is but my affliction ; 
but for me to withdraw from God, that is my 
sin ; and therefore it were better for me that 
God should withdraw a thousand times from 
me, than that I should once withdraw from 
God, Heb. x. 38, 39. ' God therefore- for- 
sakes us, that we may not forsake our God ; 
God sometimes hides himself, that we may 
cleave the closer to him, and hang the faster 
upon him. As the mother hides herself from 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 197 

the child for a time, that the child may cleave 
the closer, and hang the faster npcn her all the 
day long, God sometimes hid himself from 
David, iL Thou didst hide thy face, and I was 
troubled," Ps. xxx. 7. I was all but dead : 
well, and is that all? No; " I cried to thee, 
O Lord ; and unto the Lord I made my sup- 
plication," ver. 8. Now he cries , louder, and 
cleaves closer to God than ever. So in Ps. 
lxiii. 1,2, " O God, thou art my God ; early 
will I seek thee : my soul thirsteth for thee, 
my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty 
land, where no water is ; to see thy power and 
thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanc- 
tuary." Well, and how do these withdrawing 
of God work ? Why this you may see ; " My 
soul followeth hard after thee ; " or, as the He- 
brew reads it, " My soul cleaveth after thee," 
ver. 8. As the husband cleaves to his wife, 
so doth my soul cleave to the Lord, Gen. 
ii. 24. 

The Lord, by withdrawing from his people, 
will enhance and raise the price, and commend 
the worth, excellency, and sweetness, and use- 
fulness of several precious promises, which 
otherwise would be but as dry breasts, and as 
useless weapons to the soul. As that, Micah 
vii. 19, " He will turn again, be will have com- 
passion upon us," &c. ; and that, Isa. liv. 7, 
8, and that, Heb. xiii. 5, 6, and that, Hab. 
ii. 3, and that, Ps. v. 12, " For thou, Lord, 



198 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

wilt bless the righteous ; with favor wilt thou 
compass him" (or crown him) u as with a 
shield;" the Lord will compass the righteous 
about with his favor, as the crown compasses 
about the head, as the Hebrew imports ; and 
that, Ps. cxii. 4, " Unto the upright there 
ariseth light in darkness ; he is gracious, and 
full of compassion, and righteous ;" and that, 
Jer. xxxi. 37, " Thus saith the Lord, If 
heaven above can be measured, and the foun- 
dations of the earth searched out beneath, I 
will also cast off all the seed of Israel, for all 
that they have done, saith the Lord." As 
sure as heaven cannot be measured, nor the 
foundations of the earth searched by the skill 
or power of any mortal man ; so sure and cer- 
tain it is that God will not utterly cast off his 
people, no, not for all the evil that they have 
done. Now, at what a rate doth a deserted 
soul value these precious promises ! Well, 
saith he, these promises are sweeter than the 
honey, or the honey-comb; they are more 
precious than gold, than fine gold, than much 
gold, than all the gold in the world ; I prefer 
them before my food, before my delightful 
food ; yea, before my necessary food, before 
my appointed portion, Job xxiii. 12. De- 
serted souls will lay up these precious promises 
in the cabinet of their hearts, as the choicest 
treasure the world affords. Deserted souls 
love the music of the promises ; that promise, 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 199 

1 Tim. i. 15, was music to Bilney the mar- 
tyr ; and that promise, John x. 29, was music 
to Urfine ; and that promise, Isa. lvii. 15, 
was music to another; and that promise, Isa. 
xxxi. 3, was music to another; and that to 
another, Matt. xi. 28, &c. Promises that are 
suited to a deserted man's condition, make the 
sweetest music in his ear, and are his most 
sovereign cordials to bear up the spirits, that 
God can give, or heaven afford, or the soul 
desire: u He made him to ride on the high 
places of the earth, that he might eat the fruits 
of the field ; and he made him to suck honey 
out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock," 
Deut. xxxii. 13. Ah! the honey, the oil that 
deserted souls suck out of such promises that 
speak home and close to their conditions ! 

By God's hiding his face, and withdrawing 
himself from thee, thou wilt be enabled more 
feelingly, and more experimentally, to sympa- 
thize with others, and to have compassion on 
others that are, or may be in the dark, and for- 
saken of God, as now thou art:, " Remember 
them that are in bonds, as bound with them; 
and them which suffer adversity, as being your- 
selves also in the body," Heb. xiii. 3. In the 
natural body, if one member grieve, an-d is in 
pain, all suffer with it ; when a thorn is got into 
the foot, how doth the back bow, and the eyes 
pry, and the hands go to pluck the thorn out ! 
None so compassionate towards deserted souls, 



200 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

as those who have been deserted and forsaken 
of God themselves. Oh ! they know what an 
evil and a bitter thing it is to be left and forsa- 
ken of God, and therefore their bowels of com- 
passion run out much, yea, most to such ; they 
know that there is no affliction, no misery, no 
hell, to that of being forsaken of God. 

But, alas ! what is it to be forsaken of the 
world, to a man's being forsaken of God ? 
Were there as many worlds as there are men 
in the world, a man had better be forsaken by 
them all, than be forsaken of God. There is 
a great truth in that saying of Chrysostom, 
That the torments of a thousand hells, if there 
were so many, come far short of this one ; 
namely, to be turned out of God's presence, 
with, u I know you not," Matt. vii. 23. How 
sadly was Eli and his daughter affected with 
the loss of the ark, which was but a token of 
God's presence ! But, oh ! how much more 
is a christian affected and afflicted with the loss 
of the face and favor of God ! The remem- 
brance of which makes his heart to melt, and 
his bowels to yearn towards those whose sun 
is set in a cloud. 

Hereby the Lord will teach his people to 
set a higher value upon his face and favor when 
they come to enjoy it. " It was but a little 
that I passed from them, but I found him whom 
my soul loveth : I held him, and I would not 
let him go," &c. Cant. iii. 4. No man sets 



UNDfilt THE SMARTING ftOD« 201 

go high a value upon Christ, as he that hath 
lost him, and found him again. Jesus is the 
rising Sun, Mai. iv. 2, especially to souls that 
have been long clouded. Oh ! how highly 
does he prize and value the Sun of righteous- 
ness, his returning to him, and shining upon 
him ! " Thy loving-kindness is better than 
life," or, better than lives, as the Hebrew has 
it, Ps. Ixiii. 3. Divine favor is better than 
life with all its revenues, with all its appurte- 
nances, as honors, riches, pleasures, applause, 
&c. Yea, it is better than many lives put to- 
gether. Now, you know at what a high rate 
men value their lives ; they will bleed, part 
with an estate, yea, with a limb, yea, limbs, to 
preserve their lives ; as one cried out, Give 
me any deformity, any torment, any misery, so 
you spare my life. Now, though life be so 
dear and precious to a man, yet a deserted 
soul prizes the returnings of Divine favor upon 
him above life, yea, above many lives. Many 
men have been weary of their lives, as is evi- 
dent in scripture and history ; but no man was 
ever yet found, that was weary of the love and 
favor of God ; no man sets so high a value 
upon the sun, as he that hath lain long in a dark 
dungeon. But, 

Hereby the Lord will train up his servants 

in that precious life of faith, which is the most 

honorable, and the most happy life in all the 

world* " For we walk by faith, and not by 

17 



202 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

sight," 2 Cor. v. 7. The life of sense, the 
life of reason, is a low life, a mean life ; the 
life of faith is a noble life, a blessed life. 

It is the greatest happiness in this world to 
live much in the exercise of faith ; no man lives 
so free, so holy, so heavenly, so happy a life, 
as he that lives a life of faith. By Divine with- 
drawings, the soul is put upon the highest and 
the purest acts of faith, to cleave to God, to 
hang upon God ; and to carry it sweetly and 
obediently towards God, though he frowns, 
though he chides, though he strikes, yea, though 
he kills, Job xiii. 15. Those are the most 
excellent and heroic acts of faith that are most 
abstracted from sense and reason, he that suf- 
fers his reason to usurp over his faith, will 
never be an excellent christian ; he that goes 
to school to his own reason, hath a fool to his 
schoolmaster ^ and he that suffers his faith to 
be overruled by his reason, shall never want 
woe. Where reason is strongest, faith usually 
is weakest ; but now the Lord, by forsaking 
his people for a time, makes them skilful in the 
life of faith, which is the choicest and the sweet- 
est life in this world. 

7. By Divine withdrawings you are made 
more conformable to Christ your Head and 
Husband, who was under spiritual desertion as 
well as you. " My God, my God, why hast 
thou forsaken me ? " Matt, xxvii. 46. There 
is a hidden emphasis in the Hebrew word. El 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 203 

signifies a strong God ; Eli, Eli, my sfrong 
God, my strong God. The unity of Christ's 
person was never dissolved, nor were his graces 
ever diminished, in the midst of this terrible 
storm. His faith fortified and strengthened 
itself upon the strength of God. " My God, 
my God ! " yet in respect of Divine protec- 
tion, and Divine solace, # he was for a time for- 
saken of his Father. And if this be thy case, 
thou art herein but made conformable to thy 
Lord and Master ; nay, thou dost but sip of 
that bitter cup of which Christ drank deep ; 
thy cloud is no cloud to that which Christ was 
under. 

Lastly, By these transient and partial forsa- 
kings, the Lord will exceedingly sweeten the 
clear, full, constant, and uninterrupted enjoy- 
ment of himself in heaven to all his people, Ps. 
lxxi. 20, 21. Onesimus departed from Phile- 
mon for a season, that he might receive him 
for ever, Philem. 15. So the Lord departs 
from his people for a time, that they may re- 
ceive him for ever ; he hides himself for a sea- 
son, that his constant presence amongst his 
children in glory may be the more sweet and 
delightful to them. 

Object. 9. " Oh ! but I am falsely accused, 
and sadly reproached, and my good name, 

* Christ was only forsaken in regard of his human 
nature, not in respect of his Godhead. 



204 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

which would be as dear, or dearer to me than 
my life, is defamed, and things are laid to my 
charge, that I never did, that I never knew, 
&c. ; and how then can I be silent ? how can 
I hold my peace ? I cannot forget the proverb, 
A man's eye and his good name can bear no 
jests ; and how then can I be mute to hear men 
make jests upon my good name ? and every 
day to see men treat it with all the scorn and 
contempt imaginable, that they may utterly 
blast it ? " &c, To this I say, 

1. That it must be granted, that a good 
name is one of the choicest jewels in a chris- 
tian's crown; though a great name many times 
is little worth, yet a good name is rather to be 
chosen than great riches ; it is better to have a 
good name abroad, than silver or gold laid up 
in a chest at home, " A good name is better 
than precious ointment," Eccl. vii, 1, Pre- 
cious ointments were greatly in use, and highly 
esteemed among the Israelites in those eastern 
parts ; they were laid up amongst the most pre- 
cious things even in the king's treasury, Isa. 
xxxix. 2. Sweet ointments can but affect the 
smell, and comfort the brain, and delight the 
outward man ; they reach not the best part, the 
noble part, namely, the soul, the conscience of 
a christian ; but a good name does both. 

Among all sorts and ranks of men in the 
world, a good name hath an attractive faculty ; 
it is a precious ointment, that draws hearers to 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 205 

attend good preachers, patients to attend phy- 
sicians, clients to attend lawyers, scholars to 
attend schoolmasters, and customers to attend 
shopkeepers, who, with Demetrius, have a 
good report of all good men. Let a man's 
good name be but up, and he cannot easily 
want any thing that men or money can help 
him to. A good name will bring a man into 
favor, and keep a man in favor with all that are 
good : therefore say the moralists, '" Whatso- 
ever commodity you lose,' be sure yet to pre- 
serve that jewel of a good name." A chris- 
tian should be most careful of his good name, 
for a good name answers to all things, as Sol- 
omon speaks of money. " If I may but keep 
a good name, I have wealth enough," said the 
heathen. A christian should rather forego gold, 
than let go a good name ; and he that robs a 
christian of his good name, is a worse thief 
than he that robs him of his purse, and rather 
deserves a hanging than he. But, 

2. It must be granted, that a good name 
once lost, is very hardly recovered again; a 
man may more easily recover a lost friend, or 
a lost estate, than a lost name ; a good name is 
like a princely structure, quickly ruined, but 
long a rearing. The father of the prodigal 
could say of his lost son, This my son was lost, 
but is found ; he was dead, but is alive ; but 
how few christians can say, This my good 
name was lost, but is found ; it was dead, but 
17* 



206 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

now it lives ! When once a good name leaves 
a man, it hardly returns to him again ; new 
wine is rarely put into old bottles ; a man 
should stand upon nothing more than the credit 
of his conscience, and the credit of his name. 

Three things a christian should stiffly labor 
to maintain: 1. The honor of God. 2. The 
honor of the gospel. 3. The honor of his own 
name. If once a christian's good name sets in 
a cloud, it will be long before it rises again. 

3. Though all this be true, yet it has been 
the portion of God's dearest saints and servants 
to be slandered, reproached, vilified, and falsely 
accused, Matt. v. 10 — 12; 1 Pet. iii. 14; 
iv. 14 ; Ps. lxix. 7 ; Gen. xxxix. ; Ps. iii. ; 
2 Sam. xvi. 11, 12; Job vi. ; xiii. ; xv. ; 
Jer. li. 51. " Let the lying lips be put to 
silence ; which speak grievous things proudly 
and contemptuously against the righteous," Ps. 
xxxi. 18. How sadly and falsely was Joseph 
accused by his wanton mistress ! David by 
Doeg and Shimei ! Job of hypocrisy, impiety, 
inhumanity, cruelty, partiality, pride, and irre- 
ligion ! Job xxii. Was not Naboth accused 
of speaking blasphemy against God and the 
king ? Did not Hainan represent the Jews to 
the king as refractories and rebels ? Was not 
Elias accused as the troubler of Israel, and Je- 
remiah the trumpet of rebellion ? the Baptist a 
stirrer up of sedition, and Paul a pestilent in- 
cendiary ? Were not the apostles generally 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 207 

accounted deceivers and deluders of the peo- 
ple, and the offscourings of the world ? &c. 
Rom. iii. 8 ; 2 Cor. vi. 8 ; 1 Cor. iv. 12, 13. 
Athanasius and Eustathius were falsely accused 
of adultery; adultery, heresy, and treason, 
were charged upon Cranmer ; parricide upon 
Philpot ; sedition upon Latimer. As the prim- 
itive persecutors usually put christians into 
bears' skins and dogs' skins, and then baited 
them ; so they usually loaded their names and 
persons with all the reproach, scorn, contempt, 
and false reports imaginable, then baited them, 
and acted all their malice and cruelty upon 
them. I think there is no christian, but sooner 
or later, first or last, shall have cause to say 
with David, " False witnesses did rise up, 
they laid to my charge things that I knew not," 
Ps. xxxv. 11; they charged me with such 
things whereof I was both innocent and igno- 
rant. It was the saying of one, That there 
was nothing so intolerable as accusation, be- 
cause there was no punishment ordained by 
law for accusers, as there was for thieves, 
although they stole friendship from men, which 
is the goodliest riches men can have. Well, 
christians, seeing it has been the lot of the dear- 
est saints to be falsely accused, and to have 
their names and reputes in the world reproached, 
do you hold your peace, seeing it is no worse 
with you than it was with them, of whom this 
world was not worthy. The rabbins say, that 



208 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

the world cannot subsist without patient bear- 
ing of reproaches. 

4., Our Lord Jesus Christ was sadly re- 
proached, and falsely accused; his precious 
name (that deserves to be always writ in char- 
acters of gold, as the Persians usually write 
the names of their kings) was often eclipsed, 
before the sun was eclipsed at his death; his 
sweet name, that was sweeter than all sweets, 
was often crucified before his body. Oh ! the 
stones of reproach that were frequently rolled 
upon that name by which we must be saved, if 
ever we are saved ! Oh ! the jeers, the scoffs, 
the scorns, that were cast upon that name that 
can only bless us ! The name of Jesus, saith 
Chrysostom, hath a thousand treasures of joy 
and comfort in it. The name of a Saviour, 
saith Bernard, is honey in the mouth, and music 
in the ear, and a jubilee in the heart ; and yet, 
where is the heart that can conceive, or the 
tongue that can express, how much reproach 
hath been cast upon Christ's names ? and how 
many sharp arrows of reproach and scorn have 
been, and daily, yea, hourly, are shot by the 
world at Christ's name and honor ! Such ig- 
nominious reproaches were cast upon Christ 
and his name, in the time of his life, and at his 
death, that the sun did blush, and mask himself 
with a cloud, that he might no longer behold 
them. " The Son of man came eating and 
drinking, and they say, Behold a man glutton- 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 209 

ous, and a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans 
and sinners, " Matt. xi. 19. But was he such 
a one ? No. Wisdom is justified of her chil- 
dren. Wisdom's children will stand up, and 
justify her before all the world. u We remem- 
ber that that deceiver said, while he was yet 
alive, After three days I will rise again," Matt, 
xxvii. 63. But was he a deceiver of the peo- 
ple ? No ; he was the faithful and true Wit- 
ness, Rev. i. 5; iii. 14. u The people 
answered and said, Thou hast a devil; who 
goeth about to kill thee?," John vii. 20. 
' c Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, 
Say we not well, that thou art a Samaritan, and 
hast a devil ? " chap. viii. 48. " And many 
of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad ; 
why hear ye him ? " chap. x. 20. It was a 
wonder of wonders that the earth did not open 
and swallow up these monsters, and that God 
did not rain hell out of heaven upon these hor- 
rid blasphemers ; but their blasphemous asser- 
tions were denied and disproved by some of 
wisdom's children : "Others said, These are 
not the words of him that hath a devil : can a 
devil open the eyes of the blind?" ver. 21, 
The devil hath no such power, nor any such 
goodness, as to create eyes to him that was 
born blind. 5 

Will you yet see more scorn and contempt 
cast upon the Lord of glory ? Why, then, 
cast your eyes upon Luke xvi. 14, " And thq 



210 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

Pharisees, also, who were covetous, heard all 
these things, and they derided him." The 
Pharisees did not only laugh, fleer, and jeer at 
Christ, but they gave also external signs of 
scorn and derision in their countenance and 
gestures ; they contemned him as a thing of 
nought, Mark xv. 19; Isa. lvii. 4; Matt. 
xxvii. 28, 29 ; and, in Luke xxiii. 35, both 
people and rulers. He is accused for being 
an enemy to Cesar, John xix. 12. Now, who 
can seriously consider the scorn, reproach, and 
contempt, that has been cast upon the name 
and honor of our Lord Jesus, and not sit silent 
and mute under all the scorn and contempt that 
has [been cast upon his name or person in this 
world ? 

5. To be well spoken of by them that are 
ill spoken of by God, to be in favor with them 
who are out of favor with God, is rather a re- 
proach, than an honor to a man. Our Saviouir 
himself testifieth, that, in the church and nation 
of the Jews, they that had the most general! 
approbation and applause, they who were most 
admired and cried up, were the worst, not the 
best men ; they were the false, not the true 
prophets. u Woe unto you when all men shall 
speak well of you ! for so did their fathers to 
the false prophets," Luke vi. 26. Austin 
feared the praises of good men, and detested 
the praises of evil men. I would not, saith 
Luther, have the glory and fame of Erasmus ; 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 211 

my greatest fear is the praises of men. Pho- 
cion had not suspected his speech, had not the 
common people applauded it. Antisthenes 
mistrusted some ill in himself for the vulgar 
commendations. Socrates ever suspected that 
which passed with the most general commend- 
ations. To be praised of evil men, said Bion, 
is to be praised for evil doing ; so, the better 
they speak of a man the worse, and the worse 
the better. The Lacedemonians would not 
have a good saying sullied with a wicked mouth. 
A wicked tongue soils all the good that drops 
from it; it is a mercy to be delivered from the 
praises of wicked men ; wicked men's ap- 
plauses oftentimes become the saints' reproach- 
es. The heathen could say, What evil have 
I done, that this bad man commends me ? 
There is a truth in that saying of Seneca, The 
worst me are commonly most displeased with 
that which is best. Who can seriously dwell 
on thes;e things, and not be mute and silent 
under all the reproaches and scorn that are cast 
upon hu; name and credit in this w T orld ? 

6. TJiere will come a day when the Lord 
will wipe off all the dust and reproach that 
wicked men have cast upon the good names of 
his people ; there shall be a resurrection of 
names , as well as of bodies ; their names, that 
are now buried in the open sepulchres of evil 
throats, shall surely rise again; "their inno- 
cency shall shine forth as the light, and their 



212 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

righteousness as the noon-day, " Ps. xxxvii. 6. 
Though the clouds may for a time obscure the 
shining forth of the sun, yet the sun \vill shine 
forth again as bright and glorious as ever. 
u The righteous shall be had in everlasting 
remembrance." Though the malicious slan- 
ders and false accusations of wicked men may 
for a time cloud the names of the saints, yet 
those clouds shall vanish^ and their names shall 
appear transparent and glorious. God will take 
that care of his people's good name, that the 
infamy^ calumnies, and contumelies, that are 
cast upon it, shall not long remain* The Jews 
rolled a -stone upon Christ to keep him down, 
that he might not rise again ; but an angel 
quickly rolls away the stone, and, in despite of 
his keepers, he rises in a glorious triumphant 
manner ; so>, though the world may roll this 
stone and that, of reproach and Contempt, upon 
the saints' good names, yet God will roll away 
all those stones, and their names shall have a 
glorious resurrection^ in despite of men and 
devils. That God who hath always one hand 
to wipe away his children's tears froln their 
eyes, that God hath always another hand to 
wipe off the dust that lies upon his children's 
names ; wronged innocency shall not long lie 
under a cloud ; dirt will not stick long upon 
marble, or statues of gold. 

Well, christians, remember this, the slan- 
ders and reproaches that are cast upon you, 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 213 

are but badges of your innocency and glory. 
" If mine adversary should write a book against 
me, surely I would take it upon my shoulder, 
and bind it as a crown to me," Job xxxi. 35, 
36. All reproaches are pearls added to a 
christian's crown. Hence Austin, He that 
willingly takes from my good name, unwillingly 
adds to my reward ; and this Moses well knew, 
which made him prefer Christ's reproach be- 
fore Pharaoh's crown. That God who knows 
all his children by name, will not suffer their 
names to be long buried under the ashes of 
reproach and scorn ; and, therefore, hold thy 
peace ; the more the foot of pride and scorn 
tramples upon thy name for the present, the 
more resplendent and radiant it will be here- 
after* Therefore, lay thy hand upon thy 
mouth. 

7. The Lord hath been a swift and a terri- 
ble witness against such as have falsely accused 
his children, and loaded their names with scorn, 
reproach, and contempt, Isa. xli. 11. Ahab 
and Jezebel, who suborned false witnesses 
against Naboth, 1 Kings xxi. 10, 13, had their 
blood licked up by dogs, 2 Kings ix. Arna- 
ziah, who falsely accused the prophet Amos to 
the king, met with this message from the Lord, 
" Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, thy 
sons and daughters shall fall by the sword, and 
thy land shall be divided by line ; thou shalt 
die in a polluted land," Amos vii. 17. Ha* 
18 



214 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

man, who falsely accused the Jews, Esther hi. 
8, 9, and ix. 10, was one day feasted with the 
king, and the next day made a feast for crows. 
The envious courtiers, who falsely accused 
Daniel, were devoured by lions, Dan. vi. 24* 
Let me give you a view of the judgments of 
God upon such persons, out of histories. 

Caiaphas the high priest, who gathered the 
council, and suborned false witnesses against 
the Lord Jesus, was shortly afterwards put out 
of office, and one Jonathan substituted in his 
room, whereupon he killed himself. John 
Cooper, a godly man, being falsely accused in 
queen Mary's days, by one Grimwood, shortly 
after, the said Grimwood, being in perfect 
health, his bowels suddenly fell out of his body, 
and so he died miserably. Narcissus, a godly 
bishop of Jerusalem, was falsely accused by 
three men of many foul matters, who sealed up 
with oaths and imprecations, their false testi- 
monies ; but shortly after that, one of them, 
with his whole family and substance, was burnt 
with fire; another of them was stricken with a 
grievous disease, such as in his imprecation he 
had wished to himself; the third, terrified with 
the sight of God's judgments upon the former, 
became very penitent, and poured out the grief 
of his heart in such abundance of tears, that 
thereby he became blind. A wicked wretch, 
under Commodus the emperor, accused Apol- 
lonius, a godly christian, to the judges, for cer* 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 215 

tain grievous crimes ; which, when he could 
not prove, he w T as adjudged to have his legs 
broken, according to an ancient law of the 
Romans. Gregory Bradway falsely accused 
one Brook, but, shortly after, through terrors 
of conscience, he sought to cut his own throat, 
but, being prevented, he fell mad. 

I might produce a multitude of such instan- 
ces, but let these suffice, to evidence how swift 
and terrible a witness God hath been against 
those that have been false accusers of his peo- 
ple, and have loaded their precious names with 
scorn and reproach ; the serious consideration 
of which should make the accused and reproach- 
ed christian to sit dumb and silent before the 
Lord. 

Lastly, God himself is daily reproached. 
Men heed not to cast scorn and contempt upon 
God himself. Sometimes they charge the 
Lord that his ways are not equal, that it is a 
wrong way he goes in, Ezek. xviii. 25. Some- 
times they charge God with cruelty; " My pun- 
ishment is greater than I can bear," Gen. iv. 
13. Sometimes they charge God with par- 
tiality, and respect of persons, because here he 
strokes, and there he strikes ; here he lifts up, 
and there he casts down ; here he smiles, and 
there he frowns ; here he gives much, and 
there he gives nothing ; here he loves, and 
there he hates ; here he prospers one, and 
there he blasts another : " Where is the God 



216 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

of judgment !" Mai. ii. 17 ; that is, no where; 
either there is no God of judgment, or, at least, 
not a God of exact, precise, and impartial judg- 
ment, &c. Sometimes they charge God with 
unbountifulness; that he is a God that will set 
his people to hard work, to much work, but 
will pay them no wages, nor give them any re- 
ward. u Ye have said, It is in vain to serve 
God : and what profit is it that we have kept 
his ordinances, and that we have walked mourn- 
fully before the Lord of hosts ?" MaL iii. 14. 
Sometimes they charge God that he is a hard 
master, and that he reaps where he hath not 
sown, and gathers where he hath not strawed, 
Matt. xxv. 24. Oh ! the infinite reproach and 
scorn that is every day, that is every hour in 
the day, cast upon the Lord, his name, his 
truth, his ways, his ordinances, his glory! Alas! 
all the scorn and contempt that is cast upon the 
saints, all the world over, is nothing to that 
which is cast upon the great God every hour ; 
and yet he is patient. Ah! how hardly do most 
men think of God! and how hardly do they 
speak of God! and how unhandsomely do they 
carry it towards God! and yet he bears. They 
that will not spare God himself, his name, his 
truth, his honor, shall we think it much that 
they spare not us or our names ? Surely no. 
Why should we expect that those should give 
us good words, that cannot afford God a good 
word from one week's end to another ? yea, 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 217 

from one year's end to another ? Why should 
we expect that they should cry out, Hosanna, 
hosanna, to us, whereas, every day, they cry 
out of Christ, Crucify him, crucify him. u It 
is enough for the disciple that he be as his 
master, and the servant as his lord. If they 
have called the master of the house Beelzebub, 7 ' 
(or a master fly, or a dunghill god, or the chief 
devil,) " how much more shall they call them 
of his household ?" Matt.x. 25. It is prefer- 
ment enough for the servant to be as his lord ; 
and if they stain and blaspheme the name of the 
Lord, never wonder if they revile thy name. 
And let this suffice to quiet and silence your 
hearts, christians, under all that scorn and con- 
tempt that is cast upon your name and reputa- 
tion in this world. 

Object. 10. The last objection is this : 
" Sir, in this my affliction I have sought to the 
Lord for this and that mercy, and still God de- 
lays me, and puts me off: I have several times 
thought that mercy had been near, that delive- 
rance had been at the door, but. now I see it is 
afar off, how then can I hold my peace ? How 
can I be silent under such delays and disap- 
pointments ?" To this objection I shall give 
you these answers : 

1. The Lord doth not always time his an- 
swers to the swiftness of his people's expecta- 
tions; he that is the God of our mercies, is the 
Lord of our times ; God hath delayed long his 
18* 



218 _ THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

dearest saints ; times belonging to him as well 
as issue. "0 Lord, how long shall I cry, and 
thou wilt not hear ? even cry out unto thee of 
violence, and thou wilt not save!" Hab. i. 2. 
" Behold, I cry out of violence, but I have no 
answer; I cry aloud, but there is no judgment," 
Job xix. 7. "I am weary of crying, my 
throat is dried ; mine eyes fail while I wait for 
my God," Ps. lxix. 3. " Make no tarrying, 
O my God," Ps. xl. 17. Though God had 
promised him a crown, a kingdom, yet he puts 
him off from day to day ; and for all his haste, 
he must stay for it till the set time is come. 
Paul was delayed so long till he even despaired 
of life, and had the sentence of death in him- 
self, 2 Cor. i. 8, 9. And Joseph was delayed 
so long till the irons entered into his soul, Ps. 
cv. 17 — 19. So he delayed long the giving 
in of comfort to Mr. Glover, though he had 
sought him frequently, earnestly, and denied 
himself to the death for Christ. Augustine 
being under convictions, a shower of tears came 
from him, and, casting himself on the ground 
under a fig-tree, he cries out, u O Lord ! how 
long ? how long shall I say, To-morrow, to- 
morrow ? why not to-day, Lord, why not to- 
day ?" God doth not always make haste to 
hear and save his dearest children ; and there- 
fore hold thy peace, he deals no worse with 
thee, than he hath done by his dearest jewels. 
2. Though the Lord doth defer and delay 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 219 

you for a time, yet he will come, and mercy 
and deliverance shall certainly come ; he will 
not always forget the cry of the poor. " For 
yet a little while, and he that shall come will 
come, and will not tarry," Heb. x. 37. " The 
vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the 
end it shall speak, and not lie; though it tarry, 
wait for it," Hab. ii. 3. God will come, and 
mercy will come ; though for the present thy 
sun be set, and thy God seems to neglect thee, 
yet thy sun will rise again, and thy God will 
answer all thy prayers, and supply all thy ne- 
cessities. u Thou which hast shewed me great 
and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and 
shalt bring me up again from the depths of the 
earth. Thou shalt increase my greatness, and 
comfort me on every side," Ps. lxxi. 20, 21. 
3. Though God do delay thee, yet he doth 
not forget thee ; he remembers thee still ; thou 
art still in his eye, Isa. xlix. 14—16, and al- 
ways upon his heart, Jer. xxxi. 20. He can 
as soon forget himself, as forget his people, Ps. 
Ixxvii. 9, 10. The bride shall sooner forget 
her ornaments, and the mother shall sooner 
forget her sucking child, Isa. liv. 7 — 10, and 
the wife shall sooner forget her husband, Isa. 
lxii. 3 — 5, than the Lord shall forget his peo- 
ple. God always knows and remembers his 
people by name, Gen. viii. 1; xix. 29 ; and 
xxxii. 28. Therefore be silent, hold thy 



220 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

peace; thy God hath not forgotten thee, though 
for the present he hath delayed thee. 

4. God's time is always the best time; God 
always takes the best and fittest season to do 
us good. " Thus "saith the Lord, In an ac- 
ceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day 
of salvation have I helped thee," Isa. xlix, 8. 
I could have heard thee before, and have help- 
ed thee before, but I have taken the most ac- 
ceptable time to do both. To set God his 
time is to limit him, Ps. lxxviii. 41. It is to 
exalt ourselves above him, as if we were wiser 
than God ; though we are not wise enough to 
improve the times and seasons which God hath 
set us to serve and honor him in, yet we are 
apt to think that we are wise enough to set God 
his time, when to hear, and when to save, and 
when to deliver. To circumscribe God to our 
time, and to make ourselves lords of time, 
what is this but to divest God of his royalty 
and sovereignty of appointing times ? It is but 
just and equal, that that God who hath made 
time, and who hath the sole power to appoint 
and dispose of time, should take his own time 
to do his people good. We are many times 
capricious, preposterous, and hasty, and now 
we must have mercy or we die, deliverance, or 
we are undone ; but our impatience will never 
help us to a mercy one hour, one moment, be- 
fore the time that God hath set. God will al- 
ways take the best time to hand out mercies to 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 221 

his people : there is no mercy so fair, so ripe, 
so lovely, so beautiful, as that which God gives 
out in his own time, therefore hold thy peace ; 
though God delays thee, yet be silent, for 
there is no possibility of taking a mercy out of 
God's hand, till the mercy be ripe for us, and 
we ripe for the mercy, Eccl. iii. 11. 

5. The Lord, in this life, will certainly 
recompense, and make his children amends for 
all the delays and put-offs that he exerciseth 
them with in this world ; as he did Abraham, 
in giving him such a son as Isaac was, and 
Hannah, in giving her a Samuel. He delayed 
Joseph long, but at length he changed his iron 
fetters into chains of gold, his rags into royal 
robes, his stocks into a chariot, his prison into 
a palace, his bed of thorns into a bed of down, 
his reproach into honor, and his thirty years of 
suffering into eighty years of reigning in much 
grandeur and glory. So God delayed David 
long, but, when his suffering hours were out, 
he was anointed, the crown of Israel was set 
upon his head, and he was made very victori- 
ous, very famous and glorious, for forty years 
together. Well, christians, God will certainly 
pay you interest upon interest, for all the de- 
lays that you meet with, and therefore hold your 
peace. 

Lastly, The Lord never delays the giving in 
of this mercy, or that deliverance, or the other 



222 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

favor, but upon great and weighty reasons, and 
therefore hold thy peace. 

Quest. "But what are the reasons that God 
doth so delay, and put off his people from time 
to time, as we see he doth ?" 

Jlns. 1. For the trial of his people, and for 
distinguishing of them from others, Matt. xv. 
21 — 28. As the furnace tries gold, so delays 
will try both the truth and the strength of a 
christian's graces ; delays are a christian's 
touch-stone, that will try what men are made 
of, whether they be gold or dross, silver or 
tin ; whether they be sincere or unsound ; 
whether they be real christians. As a father, 
by crossing and delaying his children, tries 
their dispositions, and makes a full discovery 
of them, so that he can say, That child is of a 
muttering and grumbling disposition, and that 
is of a capricious and wayward disposition, 
but the rest are of a meek, sweet, humble, and 
gentle disposition ; so the Lord, by delaying 
and crossing his children, discovers their differ- 
ent dispositions. 

2. That they may have the greater experi- 
ence of his power, grace, love, and mercy in 
the close. Christ loved Martha, and her sis- 
ter, and Lazarus ; yet he defers his coming 
for several days, and Lazarus must die, be put 
in the grave, and lie there till he stinks : and 
why so ? but that they might have the greater 



, UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 223 

Experience of his power, grace, and love 
towards them. 

3. To sharpen his children's appetite, and 
to put a greater edge upon their desires, to 
make them cry out as a woman in travail, or 
as a man that is in danger of drowning. God 
delays, that his people may come to him with 
greater strength and importunity ; he puts them 
off, that they may put on with more life and 
vigor. God seems to be cold, that he may 
make us the more hot ; he seems to be slack, 
that he may make us the more earnest ; he 
seems to be backward, that he may make us 
the more forward in pressing upon him. The 
father delays the child, that he may make him 
the more eager ; and so doth God his, that he 
may make them the more divinely violent. 
When Balaam had once put off Balak, "he 
sent again certain princes more, and more hon- 
orable than they." Balaam's put-off did but 
make Balak the more importunate, it did but 
increase and whet his desires. This is that 
which God aims at by all his put-offs, to 
make his children more earnest} to whet up 
their spirits, and that they may send up more, 
and yet more honorable prayers after him; 
that they may cry out more earnestly, strive 
more mightily, and wrestle more importunately 
with God, and that they may take heaven with 
a more sacred violence. Anglers draw back 
the hook, that the fish may be more forward 



224 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

to bite ; and God sometimes seems to draw 
back, but it is only that we may press the 
more on. And therefore, as anglers, when 
they have long waited, and perceive that the 
fish do not so much as nibble at the bait, yet 
they do not impatiently throw away the rod, 
or break the hook and line ; but pull up and 
look upon the bait, and mend it, and so throw 
it in again, and then the fish bites ; so when a 
christian prays and obtains nothing. God 
seems to be silent, and heaven seems to be 
shut against him ; yet let him not cast off 
prayer, but renew his prayer, pray more be- 
lievingly, more affectionately, and more fer- 
vently ; and then mercy, and comfort, and de- 
liverance will come. 

4. God delays and puts off his people 
many times> that he may make a fuller discov- 
ery of themselves to themselves. Few chris- 
tians see themselves, and understand them- 
selves. By delays, God discovers much of 
a man's sinful self, to his religious self; much 
of his worser part, to his better part ; of his 
ignoble part, to his most noble part. When 
the fire is put under the pot, then the scum 
appears ; so when God delays a poor soul, oh ! 
how doth the scum of pride 5 of murmuring, 
of quarrelling, of distrust, of impatience, and 
of despair, discover itself in the heart of a 
poor creature ! When God delays his people, 
and puts them off, ah ! what cause have they 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 225 

to cry out of themselves, to cry out of proud 
self, worldly self, carnal self, foolish self, and 
fro ward self! We are very apt, saith Seneca, 
to use spectacles to behold other men's faults, 
rather than looking-glasses to behold our own ; 
but now God's delays are as a looking-glass in 
which God gives his people to see their own 
faults. Oh ! that baseness, that vileness, that 
wretchedness, that sink of filthiness, that gulf 
of wickedness, which God, by delays, discov- 
ers to be in the hearts of men. But, 

5. God delays and puts off his people, to 
enhance the value of mercy and deliverance. 
We usually set the highest value upon such 
things as we obtain with the greatest difficulty; 
what we dearly buy, that we highly prize ; the 
more sighs, tears, weepings, waitings, watch- 
ings, strivings, and earnest longings this mercy, 
and that deliverance, and the other favor cost 
us, the more highly we shall value them; when 
a delayed mercy comes, it tastes more like a 
mercy, it works more like a mercy, it warms 
more, and it endears the heart to God like a 
mercy, more than any other mercy that a man 
enjoys. 

" This is the child," saith Hannah, after God 
had long delayed her, "for which I prayed, 
and the Lord hath given me my petition which 
I asked of him." Delayed mercy is the cream 
of mercy ; no mercy so sweet, so dear, so pre- 
cious, to a man, as that which a man hath gain- 
19 



226 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

ed after many put-offs. Mr. Glover the mar- 
tyr sought the Lord earnestly and frequently 
for some special mercies, and the Lord delayed 
him long ; but when he was even at the stake, 
then the Lord gave in the mercies to him, and 
then, as a man overjoyed, he cries out to his 
friend, He is come, he is come! 

6. The Lord delays his people, that he may 
pay them home in their own coin ; God some- 
times loves to retaliate. The spouse puts off 
Christ. u I have put off my coat, how can I 
put it on," &c. Cant. v. 3; and Christ puts 
her off, ver. 6 — 8. Thou hast put off God 
from day to day, or from month to month, yea, 
from year to year ; and, therefore, if God puts 
thee off from day to day, or from year to year, 
hast thou any cause to complain ? Surely no. 
Thou hast often and long put off the motions of 
his Spirit, the directions of his word, the offers 
of his grace, the entreaties of his Son ; and, 
therefore what can be more just, than that God 
should delay thee for a time, and put thee off 
for a season, who hast delayed him, and put 
him off days without number ? If God serves 
thee, as thou hast often served him, thou hast 
no reason to complain. . 

Lastly, The Lord delays his people, that 
heaven may be the more sweet to them at last. 
Here they meet with many delays, and with 
many put-offs; but in heaven they shall never 
meet with one put-off, with one delay. Here 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 227 

many times they call, and cry, and can get no 
answer, Lam. iii. 8 — 14. Here they knock, 
and yet the door of grace and mercy opens not 
to them ; but in heaven they shall have mercy 
at the first word, at the first knock ; there, 
whatever heart can wish shall without delay be 
enjoyed. Here God seems to say sometimes, 
" Souls, you have mistaken the door," or, " I 
am not at leisure," or, cc Others must be served 
before you," or, " Come some other time." 
But in heaven God is always at leisure, and 
all the sweetness and blessedness, and happi- 
ness of that state, presents itself every hour to 
the soul there. God will never say to any of 
his saints in heaven, Come to-morrow ; such 
language the saints sometimes hear now, but 
such language is no wise suitable to a glorified 
condition ; and therefore seeing that the Lord 
never delays his people, but upon great and 
weighty account: ; let his people he silent be- 
fore him, let them not mutter nor murmur, but 
be mute ; and so I have done with the objec- 
tions. 

I shall come now in the last place, to pro- 
pound some helps and directions, that may 
contribute to the silencing and stilling of your 
souls under the greatest afflictions, the sharpest 
trials, and the saddest providences, that you 
meet with in this world, and so close up this 
discourse. 

1. All the afflictions that come upon the 



228 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

saints, are the fruits of Divine love. "As 
many as I love, I rebuke and chasten ; be zeal- 
ous therefore, and repent," Rev. iii. 19. " For 
whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and 
scourgeth every son whom he receiveth," Heb. 
xii. 6. " Behold, happy is the man whom God 
correcteth; therefore despise not thou the chas- 
tening of the Almighty," Job. v. 17. " What 
is man, that thou shouldest magnify him ? and 
that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him ? 
and that thou shouldest visit him every morn- 
ing, and try him every moment ?" chap. vii. 
17, 18. "Behold, I have refined thee, but 
not with silver; I have chosen thee in the fur- 
nace of affliction," Isa. xlviii. 10. When 
Munster lay sick, and his friends asked him 
how he did, and how he felt himself? he point- 
ed to his sores and ulcers, whereof he was full, 
and said, These are God's gems and jewels 
wherewith he decketh his best friends, and to 
me they are more precious than all the gold 
and silver in the world. There cannot be a 
greater evidence of God's hatred and wrath, 
than his refusing to correct men for their sinful 
courses and vanities, Hos. iv. 17, 19. "Why 
should you be smitten any more, you will re- 
volt more and more," Isa. i. 5. Where God 
refuses to correct, there God resolves to des- 
troy; there is no man so near the axe, so near 
the flames, so near hell, as he whom God will 
not so much as spend a rod upon. God is 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 229 

most angry where he shows no anger. Jerome, 
writing to a sick friend, hath this expression, I 
account it a part of unhappiness not to know 
adversity; I judge you to be miserable, be- 
cause you have not been miserable. Nothing, 
saith another, seems more unhappy to me, than 
he to whom no adversity hath happened. God 
afflicts thee, O christian, in love; and therefore 
Luther cries out, Strike, Lord ; strike, Lord, 
and spare not. Who can seriously muse upon 
this, and not hold his peace, and not be silent 
under the most smarting rod ? 

2. Consider, that the trials and troubles, 
the calamities and miseries, the crosses and 
losses that you meet with in this world, are all 
the hell that ever you shall have ; here you 
have your hell, hereafter you shall have your 
heaven; this is the worst of your condition, the 
best is to come. Lazarus had his hell first, his 
heaven last ; but Dives had his heaven first, 
and his hell at last ; thou hast all thy pangs, and 
pains, and throes here, that ever thou shalt 
have ; thy ease, and rest, and pleasure are to 
come ; here you have all your bitter, your sweet 
is to come ; here you have your sorrows, your 
joys are to come ; here you have all your win- 
ter nights, your summer days are to come ; 
here you have your Passion-week, your As- 
cension day is to come ; here you have your 
evil things, your good things are to come ; 
death will put a period to all thy sins, and to 
all thy sufferings, and it will be an inlet to those 



230 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

joys, delights, and contents, that shall never 
have an end ; and therefore hold thy peace, 
and be silent before the Lord. 

3. Get an assurance that Christ is yours, 
and pardon of sin yours, and Divine favor 
yours, and heaven yours, and the sense of this 
will exceedingly quiet and silence the soul un- 
der the sorest and sharpest trials a christian can 
meet with in this world. He that is assured 
that God is his portion, will never mutter nor 
murmur under his greatest burdens. He that 
can say, Nothing shall separate me from the 
love of God in Christ, will be able to triumph 
in the midst of the greatest tribulations. He 
that with the spouse can say, " My beloved is 
mine, and I am his," Cant. ii. 16, will bear 
up quietly and sweetly under the heaviest afflic- 
tions. In the time of the Marian persecution, 
there was a gracious woman, who being con- 
vened before bloody Bonner, (then Bishop of 
London,) upon the trial of religion, he threat- 
ened her that he would take away her husband 
from her ; saith she, Christ is my husband ; I 
will take away thy child ; Christ, saith she, is 
better to me than ten sons ; I will strip thee, 
saith he, of all thy outward comforts ; yea, but 
Christ is mine, saith she, and you cannot strip 
me of him. The assurance that Christ was 
hers, bore up her heart, and quieted her spirit 
under all. " You may take away my life," 
saith Basil, " but you cannot take away my 
comfort ; my head, but not my crown ; yea," 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 231 

said he, " had I a thousand lives, I would lay 
them all down for my Saviour's sake, who hath 
done abundantly more for me." John Ardley 
professed to Bonner, when he told him of 
burning, and how ill he could endure it, " That 
if he had as many lives as he had hairs on his 
head, he would lose them all in the fire, before 
he would lose his Christ." Assurance will 
keep a man from muttering and murmuring un- 
der the sorest afflictions. Henry and John, 
(two Augustine monks,) being the first that 
were burnt in Germany, and Mr. Rogers, the 
first that was burnt in queen Mary's days, did 
all rejoice in the flames. A soul that lives un- 
der the assurance of Divine favor, and in its 
title to glory, cannot but bear up patiently and 
quietly under the greatest sufferings that pos- 
sibly can befal it in this world. That scripture 
is worth its weight in gold : " The inhabitants 
of Zion shall not say, I am sick ; the people 
that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniqui- 
ty," Isa. xxiii. 24. He doth. not say, they 
were not sick ; no, but though they were sick, 
yet they should not say, they were sick. But 
why should they forget their sorrows, and not 
remember their pains, nor be sensible of their 
sickness ? The reason is, because the Lord 
had forgiven them their iniquities ; the sense of 
pardon took away the sense of pain, the sense 
of forgiveness took away the sense of sickness. 
Assurance of pardon will take away the pain, 



232 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

the sting, the trouble of every trouble and afflic- 
tion that a christian meets with ; no affliction 
will daunt, startle, or stagger an assured chris- 
tian; assured christians will be patient and silent 
under all, Ps. xxiii. 1. 4 — 6. Melancthon 
makes mention of a godly woman, who having 
upon her death-bed been in much conflict, and 
afterwards much comforted, brake out in these 
words, " Now, and not till now, I understand 
the meaning of these words, c Thy sins are 
forgiven ;' " the sense of which did mightily 
cheer and quiet her. He that hath got this 
jewel of assurance in his bosom, will be far 
enough off from vexing or fretting under the 
saddest dispensations that he meets with in this 
world. 

4. If you would be quiet and silent under 
your present troubles and trials, then dwell 
much upon the benefit, the profit, the advan- 
tage that hath redounded to your souls, by for- 
mer troubles and afflictions that have been upon 
you. u In the day of adversity consider," 
Eccl. vii. 14.* Oh ! now consider, how by 
former afflictions the Lord hath discovered 
sin, prevented sin, and mortified sin ; consider 
how the Lord by former afflictions hath discov- 

* There was a good man that had got so much good by 
his afflictions, that he counted it his greatest affliction to 
want an affliction; and therefore he would sometimes cry 
out, Oh, my friends, I have lost an affliction, I have lost 
an affliction. 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 233 

ered to thee the impotency, the mutability, the 
insufficiency, and the vanity of the world, and 
all worldly concernments ; consider how the 
Lord by former afflictions hath melted thy 
heart, and broken thy heart, and humbled thy 
heart, and prepared thee for clearer, fuller, and 
sweeter enjoyment of himself; consider what 
pity, what compassion, what bowels, what ten- 
derness, and what sweetness, former afflictions 
have wrought in thee towards others in misery ; 
consider what room former afflictions have made 
in thy soul for God, for his word, for good 
counsel, and for divine comfort ; consider how 
by former afflictions the Lord hath made thee 
more partaker of his Christ, his Spirit, his ho- 
liness, his goodness, &c; consider how by 
former afflictions the Lord hath made thee to 
look towards heaven more, to mind heaven, to 
prize heaven, and to long for heaven more, &c. 
Now, who can seriously consider all that good 
that he hath got by former afflictions, and not 
be silent under present afflictions ? Who can 
remember those choice, great, and precious 
earnings, that his soul had made of former afflic- 
tions, and not reason himself into a holy silence 
under present afflictions ? Thus, O my soul ! 
hath not God done thee much good, great good, 
special good, by former afflictions ? Yes. O 
my soul ! hath not God done that for thee by 
former afflictions, that thou wouldst not have 
to do for ten thousand worlds ? Yes. And is 



234 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

not God, O my soul, as powerful as ever, as 
faithful as ever, as gracious as ever, and as 
ready and willing as ever, to do thee good by 
present afflictions, as he hath been to do thee 
good by former afflictions ? Yes, yes. Why, 
why then dost thou not sit silent and mute be- 
fore him under the present troubles, O my soul? 
It was the saying of one, That an excellent 
memory was needful for three sorts of men : 
First, for tradesmen, for they, having many 
businesses to do, many reckonings to makeup, 
many irons in the fire, had need of a good 
memory. Secondly, great talkers, for they, 
being full of words, had need to have a good 
store-house in their heads to feed their tongues. 
Thirdly, for liars, for they telling many un- 
truths, had need of a good memory, lest they 
should be taken in their lying contradictions. 
And I may add, for a fourth, those that are 
afflicted, that they may remember the great good 
that they have gained by former afflictions, that 
so they may be the more silent and quiet under 
present troubles. 

5. To quiet and silence your souls under 
the sorest afflictions and sharpest trials, con- 
sider, that your chief, your choicest treasure, 
is safe, 2 Tim. i. 12 ; your God is safe, your 
Christ is safe, your portion is safe, 2 Tim. iv. 
8 ; your crown is safe, your inheritance is safe, 
your royal palace is safe, your jewels, your 
graces are safe ; therefore hold your peace. 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 235 

I have read a story of a man that had a suit, 
and when his cause was to be heard, he applied 
himself to three friends, to see what they would 
do for him. One answered, He would bring 
him as far on his journey as he could ; the sec- 
ond promised him, That he would go with him 
to his journey's end ; the third engaged himself 
to go with him before the judge, and to speak 
for him, and not to leave him till his cause was 
heard and determined. These three are, a 
man's riches, his friends, and his graces ; his 
riches will help him to comfortable accommo- 
dations while they stay with him, but they often 
take leave of a man before his soul takes leave 
of his body ; his friends will go with him to the 
grave, and then leave him ; but his graces will 
accompany him before God ; they will not 
leave him, nor forsake him, they will go to the 
grave, and to glory with him. 

In that famous battle at Leuctrum, where 
the Thebans got a signal victory, their cap- 
tain Epaminondas, a little before his death, 
demanded whether his buckler were taken by 
the enemy ? and when he understood that it 
was safe, and that they had not so much as 
laid their hands on it, he died most willingly, 
cheerfully, and quietly. Well, christians, your 
shield of faith is safe, your portion is safe, your 
royal robe is safe, your kingdom is safe, your 
heaven is safe, your happiness is safe ; and 



236 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

therefore, under all your afflictions and troubles, 
in patience possess your own souls. 

6. If you would be silent and quiet under 
your sorest troubles and trials, then set your- 
selves in good earnest upon the mortification 
of your lusts.* It is unmortified lust which is 
the sting of every trouble, and which makes 
every sweet bitter, and every bitter more bitter; 
sin unmortified adds weight to every burden, 
it puts gall to our wormwood, it adds chain to 
chain ; it makes the bed uneasy, the chamber 
a prison, relations troublesome, and every thing 
vexatious to the soul. " From whence come 
wars and fightings among you ? come they not 
hence, even of your lusts that war in your 
members ?" James iv. 1. So say I ; From 
whence comes all this muttering, murmuring, 
fretting, and vexing, &c. ? Come they not 
hence, even from your unmortified lusts ? 
Come they not from your unmortified pride, 
unmortified self-love, unmortified unbelief, and 
unmortified passions ? Surely they do. Oh ! 
therefore, as you ever would be silent under the 
afflicting hand of God, labor for more and 
more of the grace of the Spirit, by which 
you may mortify the lusts of the flesh, 
Rom. viii. 13. It is not your strongest reso- 
lutions, or purposes, without the grace of the 
Spirit, that can overmaster a lust. It was the 

* Austin saith, If thou kill not sin till it die of itself, 
sin hath killed thee, and not thou thy sin. 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 237 

blood of the sacrifice, and the oil, that cleansed 
the leper in the law ; and that by them was 
meant the blood of Christ, and the grace of his 
Spirit, is agreed on all hands, Lev. xiv. 14 — 
16. It was a touch of Christ's garment that 
cured the woman of her bloody issue, Mark v. 
25 — 29. Philosophy, saith Lactantius, may 
hide a sin, but it cannot quench it ; it may cover 
a sin, but it cannot cut off a sin ; like a black 
patch instead of a plaster, it may cover some 
deformities in nature, but it cures them not ; 
neither is it the papists' purgatories, watchings, 
whippings, nor St. Francis's kissing or licking 
of lepers' sores, which will cleanse the fretting 
leprosy of sin ; in the strengh of Christ, and in 
the power of the Spirit, set roundly upon the 
mortifying of every lust. Oh ! hug none, in- 
dulge none, but resolvedly set upon the ruin of 
all. One leak in a ship will sink it ; one wound 
strikes Goliath dead, as well as three and twen- 
ty did Caesar ; one Delilah may do Samson as 
much spite and mischief as all the Philistines ; 
one broken wheel spoils the whole clock ; one 
vein's bleeding will let out all the vitals, as well 
as more ; one fly will spoil a whole box of 
ointment, one bitter herb all the pottage ; by 
eating one apple Adam lost paradise ; one lick 
of honey endangered Jonathan's life ; one 
Achan was a trouble to all Israel ; one Jonah 
raises a storm and becomes lading too heavy 
for a whole ship. So one unmortified lust 
20 



238 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

will be able to raise very strange and strong 
storms and tempests in the soul in the days of 
affliction ; and therefore, as you would have a 
blessed calm and quietness in your own spirits 
under your sharpest trials, set thoroughly upon 
the work of mortification. Gideon had seventy 
sons, Judg. viii. 30, 31 ; ix. 1 — 5, and but 
one bastard, and yet that bastard destroyed all 
his seventy sons. Ah, christian ! thou dost 
not know what a world of mischief one unmor- 
tified lust may do ; and therefore let nothing 
satisfy thee but the death of all thy lusts. 

7. If you would be silent under your great- 
est afflictions, your sharpest trials, then make 
this consideration your daily companion — That 
all the afflictions that come upon you, come 
upon you by and through that covenant of 
grace that God hath made with you, Jer. xxxii. 
36 — 44. God hath engaged himself to keep 
you from the evils, snares, and temptations of 
the world ; in the covenant of grace, God hath 
engaged himself to purge away your sins, to 
brighten and increase your graces, to crucify 
your hearts to the world, and to prepare you 
for, and preserve you to his heavenly kingdom ; 
and by afflictions he effects all this, and that 
according to his covenant too. " If his chil- 
dren forsake my law, and walk not in my judg- 
ments ; if they break my statutes, and keep not 
my commandments." In these words you 
have a supposition that the saints may fall both 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 239 

into sins of commission and sins of omission ; 
in the following words you have God's gracious 
promise, u Then will I visit their transgressions 
with the rod, and their iniquities with stripes." 
God engages himself, by promise and covenant, 
not only to chide and check, but also to correct 
his people for their sins. " Nevertheless my 
loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him, 
nor suffer my faithfulness to fail," Ps. lxxxix. 
30 — 33. Afflictions are fruits of God's faith- 
fulness, to which the covenant binds him ; God 
would be unfaithful, if, first or last, more or 
less, he did not afflict his people ; afflictions 
are part of that gracious covenant which God 
hath made with his people ; afflictions are 
mercies, yea, covenant-mercies, Ps. cxix. 75. 
Hence it is that God is called the terrible God, 
keeping covenant and mercy, Neh. i. 5, because 
by his covenant of mercy he is bound to afflict 
and chastise his people. God, by covenant, 
is bound to preserve his people, and not to 
suffer them to perish ; and happy are they that 
are preserved. All the afflictions that come 
upon a wicked man, come upon him by virtue 
of a covenant of works, and so are cursed unto 
him ; but all the afflictions that come upon a 
gracious man, come upon him by virtue of a 
covenant of grace, and so they are blessed unto 
him, and therefore he hath eminent cause to 
hold his peace, to lay his hand upon his mouth. 
8. If you would be silent and quiet under 



240 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

afflictions, then dwell much upon this — That 
all your afflictions do but reach the baser and 
the ignoble part of a christian, his body, his 
outward man. " Though our outward man 
decay, yet our inward man is renewed day by 
day," 2 Cor. iv. 16. Aristarchus the heathen 
said, when he was beaten by the Tyrants, 
Beat on, it is not Aristarchus you beat, it is 
only his shell. Timothy had a very health- 
ful soul in a crazy body, 1 Tim. v. 23 ; 
and Gaius, 3 John 2, had a very prosperous 
soul in a weak, distempered body. Epictetus, 
and many of the more refined heathens, have 
long since concluded, that the body was the 
organ, (or vessel,) the soul was the man and 
merchandise. Now, all the troubles and af- 
flictions that a christian meets with, do not 
reach his soul, they touch not his conscience, 
they make no breach upon his noble part, and 
therefore he hath cause to hold his peace, and 
to lay his hand upon his mouth : the soul is the 
breath of God, the beauty of man, the wonder 
of angels, and the envy of devils, Heb. xii. 9. 
It is a celestial plant, and of a Divine offspring, 
Zech. xii. 1. It is an immortal spirit ; souls 
are of an angelic nature, a man is an angel 
clothed in clay : the soul is a greater miracle 
in a man than all the miracles wrought among 
men. Now, it is not in the power of any out- 
ward troubles and afflictions that a christian 
meets with, to reach his soul; and therefore 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 241 

he may well sit mute under the smarting rod. 

9. If thou wouldst be silent and quiet un- 
der the saddest providences and sorest trials, 
then keep up faith in continual exercise. Now 
faith, in the exercise of it, will quiet and silence 
the soul. Thus, 

(1.) By bringing the soul to sit down satis- 
fied in the naked enjoyment of God. 

(2.) By drying up the springs of pride, self- 
love, impatience, murmuring, unbelief, and the 
carnal delights of this world. 

(3.) By presenting to the soul greater, 
sweeter, and better things in Christ, than any 
this world doth afford, Phil. iii. 7, 8. 

(4.) By lessening the soul's esteem of all 
outward vanities : do but keep up the exercise 
of faith, and thou wilt keep silent before the 
Lord. No man so mute as he whose faith is 
still busy about invisible objects. 

10. If you would keep silent, then keep 
humble before the Lord. Oh ! labor every 
day to be more humble, and more low and little 
in your own eyes. Who am I, saith the hum- 
ble soul, but that God should cross me in his 
mercy, Job vii. 17, 18, and take away that 
mercy, and pass a sentence of death upon every 
mercy ? I am not worthy of the least mercy, 
I deserve not a crumb of mercy, I have for- 
feited every mercy, I have improved never a 
mercy. "Only by pride comes contention," 
Prov. xiii. 10. It is only pride that put men 

20* 



242 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

upon contending with God and men ; a humble 
soul will lie quiet at the feet of God, it will be 
contented with mean fare ; as you see sheep 
can live upon the bare commons, which a fat 
ox cannot. A dinner of green herbs relisheth 
well with the humble man's palate, whereas a 
stalled ox is but a coarse dish to a proud man's 
stomach ; a humble heart thinks none less than 
himself, and none worse than himself, Gen. 
xxxii. 10. A humble heart looks upon small 
mercies as great mercies, and great afflictions 
as small afflictions, and small afflictions as no 
afflictions, and therefore sits mute and quiet 
under all. Do but keep humble, and you will 
keep silent before the Lord. Pride kicks, and 
flings, and frets, but a humble man hath still 
his hand upon his mouth. Every thing on 
this side hell is mercy, much mercy, rich mer- 
cy, to a humble soul ; and therefore he holds 
his peace. 

11. If you would keep silent under the af- 
flicting hand of God, then keep close, hold 
fast these soul-silencing, soul-quieting maxims 
or principles. As, 

(1.) That the worst that God doth to his 
people in this world is in order to the making 
of them a heaven on earth ; he brings them 
into a wilderness, but it is, that he may speak 
comfortably to them, Hosea ii. 14. He casts 
them into the fiery furnace, but it is that they 
may have more of his company. Do the stones 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 243 

come thick about Stephen's ears ? it is but to 
beat him the nearer to Christ, the Corner-stone, 
&c. Acts vii. 55 — 60. 

(2.) If you would be silent, then hold fast 
this principle — That what God wills is best ; 
when he wills sickness, sickness is better than 
health ; when he wills weakness, weakness is 
better than strength ; when he wills want, want 
is better than wealth ; when he wills reproach, 
reproach is better than honor ; when he wills 
death, death is better than life. As God is 
wisdom itself, and so knows that which is best ; 
so he is goodness itself, and therefore cannot 
do anything but that which is best ; therefore 
hold thy peace. 

(3.) If thou wouldst be silent under thy 
greatest afflictions, then hold fast to this prin- 
ciple— -That the Lord will bear thee company 
in all thy afflictions, Isa. xli. 10; xliii. 2 ; Ps. 
xxiii. 4 ; Dan. iii. 25 ; Gen. xxxix. 20, 21 ; 
2 Tim. iv. 16, 17. These scriptures are 
breasts of divine consolation ; these wells of 
salvation are full ; will you turn to them, and 
draw out, that your souls may be satisfied and 
quieted ? 

(4.) If you would be silent under your afflic- 
tions, then hold fast this principle — That the 
Lord hath more high, more noble, and more 
blessed ends in the afflicting of you, than he 
hath in the afflicting of the men of the world. 
The stalk and the ear of corn fall upon the 



244 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

threshing floor, under one and the same flail ; 
but the one is shattered in pieces, the other is 
preserved. From one and the same olive, and 
from under one and the same press, is crushed 
out both oil and dregs ; but the one is turned up 
for use, and the other thrown out as unservice- 
able ; so, though afflictions do befal good and 
bad alike, as the Scripture speaks, yet the 
Lord will effect more glorious ends by those 
afflictions that befal his people, than he will 
effect by those that befal wicked men ; and 
therefore the^Lord puts his people into the fur- 
nace for their trial, but the wicked for their 
ruin ; the one is bettered by affliction, the other 
is made worse ; the one is made soft and ten- 
der by afflictions, the other more hard and ob- 
durate ; the one is drawn nearer to God by 
afflictions, the other is driven further from God, 
&c. 

(5.) If you would be silent under your afflic- 
tions, then you must hold fast this principle — 
That the best way in this world to have thine 
own will, is to lie down in the will of God, 
and quietly to resign up thyself to his good-will 
and pleasure. Luther was a man that could 
have any thing of God ; and why ? Because 
he submitted his will to the will of God ; he 
lost his will in the will of God. Oh, soul ! it 
shall be even as thou wilt, if thy will be swal- 
lowed up in the will of God. 

Lastly, If thou wouldst be silent under the 



UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 245 

afflicting hand of God, then thou must hold 
fast to this principle — That God will make 
times of affliction to be times of special mani- 
festations of divine love and favor to thee. I 
could confirm this by a cloud of witnesses, but 
that I am upon a close. Ah, christians ! as 
ever you would be quiet and silent under the 
smarting rod, hold fast to these principles, and 
keep them as your lives. 

12. To silence and quiet your souls under 
the afflicting hand of God, dwell much upon 
the brevity or shortness of man's life. This 
present life is not life, but a motion, a journey 
to ward's life. Man's life, saith one, is the 
shadow of smoke, yea, the dream of a shadow. 
Saith another, Man's life is so short, that Aus- 
tin doubted whether to call it a dying life or a 
living death. Thou hast but a day to live, and 
perhaps thou mayest be now in the twelfth hour 
of that day ; therefore hold out faith and pa- 
tience, thy troubles and thy life will shortly end 
together ; therefore hold thy peace, thy grave 
is going to be made, thy sun is near setting, 
death begins to call thee off the stage of this 
world, death stands at thy back, thou must 
shortly sail forth upon the ocean of eternity ; 
though thou hast a great deal of work to do, a 
God to honor, a Christ to close with, a soul to 
save, a race to run, a crown to win, a hell to 
escape, a pardon to beg, a heaven to make sure, 
yet thou hast but a little time to do it in ; thou 



240 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN 

hast one foot in the grave, thou art even going 
a-shore on eternity ; and wilt thou now cry out 
of thy afflictions ? Wilt thou now mutter and 
murmur when thou art entering upon an un- 
changeable condition ? What extreme folly 
and madness is it for a man to mutter and mur- 
mur when he is just going out of prison, and his 
bolts and chains are just knocking off ! Why, 
christian, this is just thy case, therefore hold 
thy peace ; thy life is but short, therefore thy 
troubles cannot be long ; hold up, and hold 
out quietly and patiently a little longer, Rom. 
viii. 18, and heaven shall make amends for all. 



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